Carat Weight
defines the weight, not the size, of a Diamond
The term 'carat'
is often misunderstood to mean the size of a diamond. The size of a
diamond relate to the dimensions or measurement in terms of length,
width and height. The carat weight is the standard unit of measure
that defines the weight of a diamond.
Information and
Definition
The following
definition can be used to clarify Carat Weight:
- Definition: A Carat is a standard unit of weight for diamonds.
- Carat weights are also expressed as "points" with a one carat
diamond equalling 100 points
A carat is abbreviated as "ct." 1 ct. = 0.2 grams and 100 points = 1 carat 1 ct. = 100 points
Diamonds are Forever...
An Impartial Guide to Diamonds
Ct. Weight -
'Points'
Carat weight is also
expressed as "points" to describe diamonds which weigh less than 1ct.:
- 1 ct. = 100 points
- ¾ ct. = 75 points
- ½ ct. = 50 points
- ¼ ct. = 25 points
A
hundredth of a carat is also called a point.
Hundredth of a
carat
A hundredth of a carat
is also called a point. Ct. weight is also expressed to the nearest
hundredth of a carat:
- 75 points = 1/75 = .75 ct. diamond
- 50 points = 1/50 = .50 ct. diamond
- 25 points = 1/25 = .25 ct. diamond
- 10 points = 1/10 = .10 ct. diamond
- 1 point = 100th of a carat
diamond
Therefore a .50 carat diamond can be called either 50 points, or 1/50 of
a carat.
Ct. Weight and the Price of a Diamond
The price of a diamond does not increase in proportion to the weight of
a diamond! There are various weights above which there is a steep
increase in value. The most notable example relates to the price of a
one carat diamond. Buying a diamond is not an everyday occurrence. This
website will testify that the subject of diamonds is literally a
minefield of information! Most of us are not aware of the complexities
of diamonds. But nearly everyone will have heard of a carat! So when we
go to buy a diamond the one thing that we have in mind is that a diamond
weighing 1ct. is what we should buy. The demand for a 1ct. diamond is
therefore very high. Consequently, the price of a highest quality 1ct.
diamond will cost significantly more than an equivalent diamond quality
weighing 0.95 carats.
The Size and Cut
As a ct. is a unit
of measure, and not size, two diamonds both weighing 1 carat may appear
to be different sizes! The final size of a 1ct. diamond depends on
how the diamond is cut. Some diamonds will have extra weight on the
bottom part, or pavilion and therefore appear smaller. A well cut
diamond will therefore appear larger than many diamonds of a heavier ct.
weight.
The 4 C's
The Ct. Weight of a diamond
is important but must always be considered in conjunction with other
import aspects - the Color, Clarity and Cut. Together, these are
referred to as the 4 C's - Carat weight, Cut, Color and Clarity. For
more information on these subjects please click one of the following
links: |