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The Ultimate 8 Carat Diamond Ring Guide

How to find the perfect 8 carat diamond that will blow you away

By Mike Fried,

8 carat diamonds are rare, valuable and beautiful. You should take care when shopping for an 8 carat diamond ring, to ensure you pick out a diamond with the right grades to maximize its beauty, and minimize unnecessary costs. You can expect to pay between $12,500 to $40,000 per carat for a ring of this size.

Look for an Ideal or Excellent cut, G to I color and VS1 or VS2 clarity. 8 carat diamonds with these grades are indeed rare, but you should be able to find a small selection from online vendors.

8ct H VS2 Pear Shape Diamond from Abe Mor
8ct H VS2 Pear Shape Diamond from Abe Mor

Here’s what we’ll cover in this article:

How much does an 8 carat diamond cost?
Where is the best place to buy an 8 carat diamond ring?
Which clarity grade to choose for an 8 carat diamond?
What color grader should you get for an 8 carat diamond?
What is the best 8 carat diamond shape?
Quick tips to buy a good 8 carat diamond ring
Which celebrities are wearing an 8 carat diamond ring?

To help you with the diamond buying process we lean on our expertise and experience. The author of this article, our CEO, Mike Fried has over 20 years of experience in the diamond industry. Mike started from the bottom, sorting and evaluating hundreds of thousands of diamonds to learn every facet (pun intended) of diamond quality and value. Mike followed that up by spending years buying and selling diamonds on the wholesale market as well as selling tens of millions of dollars worth of diamonds to diamond retailers.

8 Carat Diamond Ring Price

“When a 100+ ct diamond is found, it makes news in the diamond trade. One reason it’s noteworthy is because the larger a diamond is, the rarer it is. And the rarer it is, the more valuable it becomes. The same rule holds true for diamonds in engagement rings. Nature produces far more diamonds smaller than a carat than diamonds that are a carat or larger. This is reflected in the price.

Because of their rarity, large diamonds command a premium – so much so that the difference in price isn’t geometric but exponential. In other words, a 1.00 ct diamond will cost much more per carat than a 0.50 ct diamond. A 2.00 ct diamond will have a much higher per-carat price than a 1.00 ct diamond.”

 Gemological Institute of America (GIA)

You don’t necessarily need to spend over half a million dollars on an 8 carat diamond ring (though don’t expect to find one for several thousand either). Cutting back a little on color and clarity results in a big difference in price when we get to this level of rarity. Realistically, you may want to look for something in the I/VS1 section. Have a look at our diamond calculator to explore the price differences.

To get a further idea of price expectations for 8 carat diamonds, here are some more examples:

Where To Buy 8 Carat Diamond Rings

The best places to buy an 8 carat diamond ring are James Allen, Blue Nile, and Abe Mor Diamonds.

You may be thinking, “can I (or should I) really buy an 8 carat diamond ring online?” The answer is yes, to both questions.

Online retailers James Allen and Blue Nile have the best range of GIA certified diamonds anywhere. I can comfortably say you’re not going to find a diamond as large as 8 carats in your local jewelry store – much less one with a reputable certification and high-quality grades or acceptable diamond price. Both James Allen and Blue Nile, however, offer a small range of super rare diamonds at carat weights of 8 and above.

These vendors also provide the customer service and inspection tools necessary to make the big decision of buying an 8 carat diamond ring. This is vital to ensure you don’t overpay, as the difference from one grade to the next can be tens of thousands of dollars.

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Abe Mor Diamonds

Aside from these two retailers, Abe Mor Diamonds is another we highly recommend. Abe Mor is a diamond wholesaler who specializes in rare and larger diamonds. Their buying experience is second to none, and they can help you find the perfect diamond at a wide range of carat weights.

Fancy Colored 8 Carat Diamonds

There’s one more store we can add to the list of recommended places to buy an 8 carat diamond ring. If you’re looking for a fancy colored 8 carat diamond, Leibish & Co are the gold standard. Fancy colored diamonds of this size are doubly rare, and Leibish are probably the only place with a decent range of colored diamonds 8ct and above.

Diamond Size vs Carat: How Big is an 8 Carat Diamond Ring?

Diamond size and carat are often mistaken as the same thing. While 8 carat diamonds are undoubtedly much larger than your average stone, carat refers to weight, not size. Each carat is equal to 0.2 grams. So a diamond that is exactly 8 carats will weigh 1.6 grams.

In terms of size, the exact size differs depending on the shape and cut of the diamond. Different shapes may have more or less surface area, due to the way they are cut.

The most common shape for a diamond (and the most likely to find at this carat weight) is a round brilliant. An 8 carat round brilliant diamond measures approximately 12.7mm across (diameter).

You can check out our comparison image below where we lined up the average sizes of the most common shapes in 8ct next to a US quarter:

size comparison 8ct

Clarity Rating For 8 Carat Diamond Rings

We recommend aiming for a VS1 or VS2 grade when buying an 8 carat diamond ring.

Clarity is a metric that tells how many and what blemishes or inclusions are present in a diamond. The higher the grade, the fewer imperfections present, and the greater the diamond’s brilliance and shine.

When we’re looking at diamonds as large as 8ct, it’s important not to skimp on clarity, as it’s easier to notice inclusions that may be hidden on a smaller stone. However, you can also overpay by picking a grade that is too high.

GIA clarity grades for diamonds are as follows:

  • Flawless (FL)
  • Internally Flawless (IF)
  • Very Very Small Inclusions 1 (VVS1)
  • Very Very Small Inclusions 2 (VVS2)
  • Very Small Inclusions 1 (VS1)
  • Very Small Inclusions 2 (VS2)
  • Small Inclusions 1 (SI1)
  • Small Inclusions 2 (SI2)
  • Inclusions 1 (I1)
  • Inclusions 2 (I2)
Diamond Clarity Chart

I2 is the lowest grade you can get for clarity. A diamond with this grade has clear blemishes noticeable to the eye. On the other end of the scale, FL is a flawless diamond with no inclusions at all, even under extreme magnification. 

These diamonds are extremely rare and valuable – however, it’s not recommended to look for a FL or IF diamond. To the naked eye, it’s just about impossible to tell the difference between a diamond with an IF rating and one graded VS1 or VS2. This means you would be paying a premium price difference for virtually no noticeable difference in appearance.

8 Carat Diamond Ring Colors

Along with clarity, color is an important grade to look at when making the decision to buy an 8 carat diamond ring. The GIA gives a color grade from D to Z – D being the clearest and most colorless diamond, while a Z diamond having a noticeable yellow or brown tint.

Most of the time (an obvious exception is if you’re buying a fancy colored diamond), you want a diamond that appears totally colorless to the naked eye. As with clarity, there is a big difference in price from one grade to the next. The key is finding the balance between price and grade, where you get the best appearance to the naked eye for the best price.

It’s important to understand that, above a certain grade, there’s almost no visible difference. Take these two examples:

The two diamonds above are both excellent cut, SI1 clarity and almost identical in carat weight.

The first is an 8.02 carat, D color round cut with a price of $297,818.

The second is an 8.01 carat, H color round cut with a price of $216,775.

These two diamonds are identical in cut and clarity. To the naked eye, they are identical in color as well, as there is no discernible difference between an H color or above. The difference in price is significant, though; $81,000 more for the higher grade.

As long as the diamond appears white or colorless to the naked eye, you can save a lot of money on color. That’s why we suggest looking for a grade of G to I for color. Anything higher than this is largely unnecessary.

One final thing to consider when we’re talking about color is your setting. As it’s important that your diamond appears white, the color of your setting can make a bit of a difference. A setting made of a darker metal, such as rose gold or yellow gold, can make a diamond with a lower color grade appear white. You may be able to get away with a J or K color diamond, where the same diamond on a platinum or white gold setting would have a slight yellow tint.

8 Carat Diamond Ring Shapes

You can find beautiful diamonds in a wide array of shapes, to fit the wearer’s taste, different settings, and differently shaped fingers. Your choice will be a little more limited when looking at super rare 8 carat diamonds, however, there should still be a small variety of shapes to choose from.

The round brilliant is the most popular shape and a timeless look that fits just about any setting, and looks beautiful on anyone’s finger. Round diamonds are also the most common, giving you a little more choice in areas like cut, color and clarity at higher carat weights.

While different shapes are not necessarily worth more or less than others, some shapes, such as oval, pear and marquise cuts, have a larger table surface area (the “face-up” area at the top of the diamond). This gives these shapes a larger appearance, which can give the illusion of a larger diamond at the same carat weight.

Here are a few of the different 8 carat diamond shapes you can get:

How To Get The Best Value For an 8 Carat Diamond Ring

An 8 carat diamond ring can be expected to cost a fair bit, due to the rarity and beauty of diamonds this large. You can, however, cut down the price a little by focusing on color and clarity grades that give the best appearance to the naked eye.

Following these recommendations will help you pick out a truly stunning 8 Carat diamond:

  • Diamond cut: only consider diamonds with an Ideal or Excellent cut. Any lower grade than this will have a clear dropoff in brilliance and fire at this carat weight.
  • Diamond color: look for a color grade in the range of G to I. These grades will appear colorless while saving you the premium price tag of a diamond in the D to F range.
  • Diamond clarity: VS1 or VS2 clarity will give you a diamond that appears eye-clean. Anything lower will sacrifice quality, while a higher grade may not give a noticeable difference in appearance.
  • Diamond shape: choose the diamond shape that best fits the taste and finger shape of the wearer. A round brilliant shape is more common and will present more options, but going with an elongated shape like an oval or pear shape can give the appearance of a larger diamond for your money.

In addition to the points above, make sure you only buy a diamond with a certificate from a reputable entity. We recommend diamonds with GIA certificates, as this is the most trustworthy grading laboratory out there.

Finally, when making as big a purchase as this, you should always closely inspect your 8 carat diamond before making a decision, either by yourself or with the help of an expert.

Famous 8 Carat Diamond Engagement Rings

Many notable celebrities have chosen an 8 carat diamond to make the perfect engagement ring. After all, diamonds this rare and beautiful are the kind you expect to see on the finger of the rich and famous.

Justin Theroux proposed to Jennifer Aniston with an enormous 8 carat diamond ring, estimated to be worth $500,000. Another famous and stunning ring is the 8.80 carat oval diamond ring NBA player David Lee used to pop the question to tennis star Caroline Wozniacki. This diamond is not only huge, it also boasts a perfect D color and FL clarity.

If that’s not enough, there’s also the 8.50 carat cushion cut diamond ring Dwyane Wade proposed to his now-wife Gabrielle Union with, which is valued at a cool $1 million. Yet none may be as beautiful as Kate Upton’s round cut diamond ring, estimated to be $1.5 million for an 8 carat ring in a platinum setting.

Final Thoughts

An 8 carat diamond ring is an exceptionally large, exceptionally rare piece of jewelry that is sure to turn heads anywhere it goes. You can expect to pay a significant price for a diamond of this carat weight. But by focusing your budget towards the right areas, you can get a one of a kind ring for great value.

You can make your search for an 8 carat diamond ring easier by reaching out to us for assistance. We can help you pick out the perfect diamond, and ensure your money is spent in the right places.

Here are more carat size topics to browse:

James Allen James Allen is the leader in online diamond sales. Their imaging technology is the same as inspecting a diamond with a jeweler's loupe. They have the largest exclusive loose diamond inventory online and fantastic prices. They also have the nicest collection of lab-created diamonds online.
What we love about them:
  • No questions asked returns within 30 days of shipment. James Allen will send you a paid shipping label to return the ring.
  • Lifetime Warranty
  • Free International Shipping
  • Free prong tightening, repolishing, rhodium plating and cleaning every 6 months
  • Provide insurance appraisals
  • One free resizing within 60 days of purchase
  • Free ring inscriptions
  • Best-in-class high quality imagery of all diamonds in stock
  • 24/7 Customer Service
  • Best-in-class packaging
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Blue Nile Blue Nile is the largest and most well known internet jewelry seller. They have a very large exclusive online inventory. Their high quality images are catching up to James Allens' and their prices are amazing.Save 25% on settings at Blue Nile!

Please enter your email address to receive your 25% off coupon code:

What we love about them:
  • No questions asked returns within 30 days of shipment. Blue Nile will send you a paid shipping label to return the ring.
  • Lifetime Warranty
  • Free Shipping
  • Free prong tightening, repolishing, rhodium plating and cleaning every 6 months
  • Provide insurance appraisal
  • One free resizing within the first year of purchase
  • High quality images of about half of their diamonds
  • 24/7 Customer Service
  • 100% credit towards future upgrades (must be at least double in value)
  • Best in class fulfillment
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About the author

Mike Fried Mike Fried Mike Fried has over 25 years experience in the diamond industry working with Leo Schachter Diamonds, Moshe Namdar Diamonds, and joining The Diamond Pro in 2007. He is recognized as an industry expert and has been quoted in publications such as Us, People, Page Six, The Next Web and more.

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