Flat out, the 3ct diamond ring is just the kind of sparkly flex that we absolutely stan for. How could we not? It’s got major chonk appeal and gorge glitter room. Seriously the drip goes so hard you’ll think the pipes have busted.

Tea be spilt tho, all that gorgeosity is gonna cost you. Hey, no one said that main character lifestyle was cheap. However, if you’re down to get a little clever, you can get a 3ct rock that slaps in any budget.

3.01 carat Cushion cut Diamond

Down With The Thiccness

So, just how big is a 3ct rock anyway? Diamonds vary in visual size from rock to rock, but one thing is for sure, a 3ct diamond is nothing to scoff at. Any way you slice it, it’s a serious chonk, and it’s def worth the double-take.

Here’s the deal: a carat is a measure of weight rather than size, so different factors, cut and shape, for example, play a part in size. Some settings can also make the stone look even bigger. The average size of a 3ct round brilliant is around 9.2mm, whereas a princess cut might measure 8mm. They’re the same size, but are they the same size?

To get a general idea tho, here’s a 3ct round diamond in a Twig and a 1ct round diamond in the same setting. Definitely chonky, definitely gorge.

Over The Limit

Is there anything more annoying than limited options? We think not. The thing is, bigger rocks maybe just a little harder to find unless you know how to look, of course. When shopping around for a 3ct diamond ring, don’t limit yourself by sticking too strictly to a clean 3ct.

You might find the stone of your dreams sitting just over or just under three carats, and hey, the more options, the merrier, right? You won't be able to tell the difference between a 3.03ct, a 3ct, and a 2.9 just by looking at it. And who knows, coming in just a smidge underweight might save you a few shiny pennies while you’re at it. Diamonds do range in size a bit already based on cut, so no one will be any the wiser even if they are a diamond expert.

She Fancy

The round brilliant, aka queen of all diamonds, is on top for oh-so-many reasons, and for all of those, she’s gonna cost you. A fancy shape diamond (anything other than round) is gonna be a bit less expensive. That’s right, finally wanting something unique and different pays off!

Cutting a round brilliant leaves a decent amount of raw diamond on the cutting room floor, so diamonds that leave less natural diamonds behind tend to be a little more affordable. All that aside, shapes also play a ginormous role in the visual size of the diamond.

See, something like an oval or an elongated cushion will look much bigger than a round brilliant. Think of it like this, the more surface area, the bigger the rock (to your eyeballs at least).

On the other hand, shapes that carry a lot of weight below the belt, like emeralds and Asscher's, will look a bit smaller. However, you will for sure get lost in the dazzling hall of mirrors produced by all that depth, so it's a pretty good trade, in our humble opinion.

Here are examples of Kamelile. What a difference a shape makes.

Solitary Drippage

The 3ct diamond is absolutely baller by its clean, classic self. And setting that sparkle city beast in a ring all its own makes total sense. That’s why we love a 3ct solitaire. Settings can totally change the vibe of the ring whether you want to keep it classy and sophisticated, light-hearted and fanciful, or clean and modern.

Love a little hidden halo? We love to hear it. Our The Alice in 18k rose gold is a perfect little twist on the classic solitaire.

Bevel Please

Active hands got us looking at the kind of edges that just hit different. Like literally. The last thing anyone with an active lifestyle wants is an exposed edge. So let’s talk clean, let’s talk classy, let’s talk bevel. Cause there’s nothing quite as disappointing as spending that guap on a giant rock only to have those delicate corners chip. Big yikes.

A beveled edge, like our gorge Charlotte Setting, can keep your sparkle safe. Its high-key clean lines with a little added sparkle to boot.

Bigger Via Smols

So, you want to bolster your already super sparkly sparkle?

It’s not like a 3ct diamond ring needs any help. Since when do you need an excuse to be a little extra? Those teeny tiny diamonds on a pave band or a stunner of a halo setting don’t just add extra sparkle to your setting. They can actually make your rock look bigger. We love that for you.

On the other hand, there’s always the added fun of popping in some side stones. We love a baguette three-stone situation almost as much as we love a Chelsea, which is just dripping in floral vibes.

But we also absolutely live for a Mia . That organic silhouette is giving all the vintage romance, and we are so here for it.

Gorgeous Guap

This is where we wish we could wave a magic wand and put a 3ct ring in everybody's price range. Well, we could, it would be a 3ct moissanite ring, but we digress. The bottom line is while there might be some trick to save a little moola on a 3ct diamond ring, big rocks are expensive, like starting around 20k expensive.

Now, this goes specifically for those of you with your heart set on a natural mined diamond. Look, earth goes hard. But spitting out giant diamonds left and right isn’t her strong suit. That doesn't make it impossible, but it does mean finding the fatties is a bit harder than those gorgeous, gorgeous little smols you might find on a pave.

Learn about Cushion Cut Diamonds

Don’t worry if you've got the guap. There are some killer diamonds on the loose. Meaning we have a lot of loose diamonds that are totally gorge and waiting to get set and turned into the ring of your dreams, like this gorge 3.04ct Cushion in all her icy glory.

Whole Lotta Lab

IDK if you knew this, but we absolutely love lab diamonds. Remember how we mentioned options? If you’re shopping for diamonds, especially something chonky like a 3ct, never forget that you have two options. Lab and mined. The bonus is lab diamonds are more eco-friendly and sustainable too. They’re basically the CEO of sparkle you can feel good about.

And at half the price of natural diamonds, it’s a glow-up you can size up while you’re at it. Now, like we said before, a 3ct diamond ain’t cheap, but with lab diamonds, you’ll save a grip. Remember that 3.04ct Cushion Natural Diamond we showed you? Yeah, she’s 26k.

Learn about Cushion Cut Diamonds

And hey, if you’ve got it, flaunt it. We love that for you. But if you don’t, check out this 3.04ct Cushion Lab Diamond. She’s equally gorge and has a much better color grade. Oh, also, she’s gonna save you 20k. You know, just in case you wanted to buy a new car or put a down payment on a house.

A 4C’s Moment

So if you’ve been shopping around for any amount of time, you’ve definitely run into these C’s everyone’s talkin’ about. Cut, color, clarity, and carat are everything when it comes to choosing the diamond of your dreams–and your budget. You can check out our cute education section for literally everything you need to know–we shan’t bore you with the deets now.

But since you know you're living a 3-carat fantasy, here’s the basic rundown.מCut is everything. Don’t skimp on cut. The rest you can play around with. You don’t need to spend a ton on clarity if you’re getting something with a ton of sparkle. Likewise, you don’t need something that’s perfectly colorless if you’re not setting it in white gold.

All this jargon doesn’t really mean a lot unless you see it up close and personal for yourself tho. So peep our HD 360 tools and see for yourself. You might just save yourself a pretty penny and catch something you might have missed if you were shopping in person.

The Snack That Sparkles Back

Are you in love? We are too. There is just something about a 3ct diamond ring that hits different. It’s truly the kind of rock that makes you want to take several seats and bow down to the sparkle.

With two types of diamonds to choose from, you’re sure to find a rock that suits your budget without sacrificing sparkle. And with oodles of settings to choose from, it’s easy to find the perfect paring to give that ring finger the glow up it deserves.

How To Snag That 3ct Diamond Ring That’s Living Rent Free

You might also like to read

Moissanite Is So Tacky - And We Absolutely Love It

How to Get Major Finger Coverage With a Delicate Band

Top Engagement Ring Trends 2022