Short answer
Understand the variables that shape wholesale price per carat, parcel price, and certified stone quotes before sending an RFQ.
The quote is not only a per-carat number
Wholesale buyers often ask for a price per carat first, but the useful number depends on the buying format. Selected stones, certified inventory, melee parcels, and bulk assortments are priced differently because the matching work, certificate route, and usable yield are different.
- selected stones
- certified lists
- melee parcels
- bulk assortments
Specification variables that move price
Shape, carat or millimeter range, color, clarity, cut expectations, certificate route, and whether substitutions are acceptable all affect the final quote. Larger or tighter grade ranges usually need more selective matching.
How to send a better price RFQ
Send the commercial use case, target grade range, monthly volume, destination, certificate preference, and target price lane. This lets the sales desk quote practical alternatives instead of replying with a generic range.