When choosing a solitaire diamond necklace, carat weight tends to be the last thing to settle. Between 0.1ct and 1ct, both the price and the way the stone reads at the neckline are quite different. This article works through that difference step by step, using approximate stone diameters and actual prices.
- What carat weight changes
- On chain length
- Layering as an option
- The stones, and where they are made
- When it is a gift
- Frequently asked questions
What carat weight changes
Carat is a unit of weight, not of size. One carat is exactly 0.2 grams. With a round brilliant cut, however, weight and diameter correspond closely, so knowing the carat weight is enough to picture how the stone will sit at the neckline. The table below gives standard diameters for the round brilliant cut.
| Carat | Approximate diameter | How it reads at the neckline |
|---|---|---|
| 0.1ct | About 3.0mm | A quiet clarity, at home in skin jewelry. It settles in as though it were part of the skin. |
| 0.2ct | About 3.8mm | One step larger than 0.1ct, and it begins to gather more light. |
| 0.3ct | About 4.3mm | A presence that carries across the distance of a conversation. It stays close on ordinary days and on particular ones. |
| 0.5ct | About 5.2mm | Large enough to hold the neckline on its own. The outline of the stone becomes clear. |
| 1.0ct | About 6.5mm | A light that is legible from a little way off. A single stone can decide the impression of an outfit. |
Solitaire diamond necklaces from ANNA DIAMOND
[Lumière] The necklace 0.1ct 10K
“For a first solitaire worn every day. It asks nothing of what you wear, and is light enough that you forget it is there.”
96,800 JPY
[Lumière] The necklace 0.3ct
“For a single piece that completes the neckline. It keeps a size that reads naturally by day, and holds its own in more formal rooms.”
121,000 JPY
[Lumière] Bold Necklace 1ct oval 18KYG
“For a piece meant to lead. Designed together with its chunky chain, it belongs with a T-shirt as readily as with a dress.”
385,000 JPY
[Lumière] Pear Shape Necklace 0.3ct 18K
“A solitaire with a little more character, the drop shape drawing a vertical line. Choosing an unusual pear shape lets a solitaire necklace, which tends to settle into the conservative, be worn with more ease.”
165,000 JPY
On chain length
Every solitaire necklace from ANNA DIAMOND measures around 40cm in total length. The stone rests a little below the base of the neck, around the collarbone, and shows just at the edge of a crew neckline. It is the most standard length for a solitaire necklace.
Beyond that, the ANNA DIAMOND 0.3ct necklace adjusts between 40cm and 36.5cm, and the 1ct oval necklace between 40.5cm and 37.5cm. These lengths came from repeated small adjustments, so that each stone sits at its most beautiful for its size and its presence, including when worn with a higher neckline.
Layering as an option
A solitaire necklace is complete on its own. It also works well as the foundation of a layered look.
The key is to stagger the lengths. The 0.3ct set to 36.5cm above, for instance, with the 0.1ct at 40.5cm below. The two points of light line up vertically, and the neckline gains depth. A tennis necklace (38.5cm in total length) with a solitaire at 40.5cm is another way to layer, where a continuous line of light meets a single stone. The 1ct oval has a chain with presence of its own, so the diamond is not lost even when worn with a chain necklace.
The stones, and where they are made
Quality standards
The 0.3ct and the 1ct oval use lab grown diamonds of F color and above, VS clarity and above. The 1ct comes with an IGI report.
Made in the workshops of Kofu and Tokyo
In Kofu, Yamanashi, one of the foremost jewelry regions in Japan, and in a workshop in Tokyo, artisans make each piece by hand once the order is placed. Delivery takes roughly one to two months for the 0.1ct and 0.3ct, and five to nine weeks for the 1ct oval. If you need a piece sooner and find what you are looking for among the jewelry in stock, we ship within two to five days of the order.
ANNA DIAMOND 4C CRITERIA
COLOR
F and above
D is colorless. The closer to Z, the more yellow appears
CLARITY
VS and above
The top 6 of 11 grades, where inclusions stay invisible to the eye
CUT
Excellent and above
Decided by hand alone, and it cannot be changed later
CERTIFICATE
IGI ／ 0.5ct and above
The report number lets you trace the record of that stone
When it is a gift
Unlike a ring, a necklace carries no worry about choosing a size. That is why we think it is the piece of jewelry best suited to giving. When the recipient's taste is unknown to you, we suggest the 0.3ct. It is the size in the middle, at ease on an ordinary day and on a particular one.
If the day of giving is close, please look at the jewelry in stock. We ship within two to five days of the order. Every order comes in a jewelry box, so it is ready to be given as it arrives.
Frequently asked questions
I worry that such a fine chain might break.
Each chain is made with care at the Kofu workshop, on the assumption that it will be worn every day. If a fault should arise in ordinary use, our two year quality guarantee covers the repair at no charge. We also accept repairs after the guarantee period has passed, so please start by getting in touch.
Is it all right to keep it on all the time?
Diamond is 10 on the Mohs scale, the gemstone most resistant to scratches in daily life. A film of soap and natural oils will dull the brilliance a little over time. Our gallery in Daikanyama offers cleaning free of charge for life, so bring the piece in whenever the light seems less clear.
Is 0.1ct too small?
It is not a stone that draws the eye from a distance. What it offers instead is the reticence of a light that appears as someone comes closer. The clarity of 0.1ct shows best to the naked eye, so we invite you to hold the piece to your neckline and see.
Does it come with a certificate?
Solitaire diamonds of 0.5ct and above come with an IGI report. Among the necklaces, that means the 1ct oval. The 0.1ct and 0.3ct do not include a report, though their quality standards are stated on each product page.
I would like to have it quickly.
Pieces held in stock ship within two to five days of the order. Please start with the jewelry in stock. Stock is shared with our own store in Daikanyama, so you can also take a piece home from the counter.
After your purchase
ANNA DIAMOND offers returns within seven days, a two year quality guarantee, and cleaning free of charge for life at our own store in Daikanyama. So that a single necklace can stay close to your life for a long time, we value a relationship that does not end at delivery.
See the pieces in person
Photographs cannot quite carry the light of the moment a solitaire settles at the neckline. At the ANNA DIAMOND Gallery in Daikanyama, Tokyo, you can hold the pieces from 0.1ct to 1ct against your own neckline. No appointment is needed.
A comparison built around price by carat is gathered on the page on choosing a solitaire diamond necklace, and an approach by budget on the guide to lab grown diamond prices.