I think it depends. I initially wanted a 2ct, and it looked gorgeous on my hand..very proportional, but since quality is important for me, we decided to get the 1.76ct that had a better quality. I think for someone as petite as me, and as young, 3 cts would be my max...any bigger and people would definitely think it was fake. So maybe, when I'm older I can get an upgrade and wear bigger diamonds. But for now, I get lots of compliments on mine...and everyone tells me the size is just perfect! =)