3 Carat Diamond Engagement Rings

A 3 carat diamond ring starts at around £9,700 - but the price varies massively depending on whether you choose a lab diamond or natural diamond.

A good quality 3 carat diamond typically costs £9,000 if it’s a loose lab grown diamond, or upwards of £150,000 if it's a loose natural diamond. The total price of a 3 carat diamond ring will have the additional cost of the ring setting itself, starting at £700.

You should be aware that diamond prices fluctuate, and this should be used as a guide price accurate at the time of writing.

A round 3 ct diamond has a diameter around 9.5mm. This can vary a tiny bit, depending on the cut ratios of the diamond - but you can use that as a ballpark size to help visualise how big a 3ct diamond will look on your finger. Elongated shapes, like oval diamonds, appear larger due to an increased spread of carat over the surface area.

A 3ct oval diamond measures around 11.05mm in length. This is 2mm lengthier than a 2ct round diamond. The length and proportions of a 3ct oval diamond will vary a little depending on how it has been cut - some ovals are longer and skinnier, and others shorter and more rounded.

A 3 carat diamond engagement ring is large enough to stand out - and is considerably larger than the average engagement ring diamond size. Most people would agree a 3 carat diamond isn’t too big, particularly if it is set in a demure and refined ring style like a solitaire - but for others, a 3 carat ring might not be practical. Some people’s jobs may prevent them from wearing a large diamond, while it could suit other people’s lifestyles perfectly.

Only around 5% of people choose a 3ct engagement ring. This figure has increased significantly thanks to lab grown diamonds, which offer a much larger carat weight for the same price. Less than 0.2% of natural diamond engagement rings feature a 3ct diamond.