A guide to diamond Carat weight and size
Carat, being one of the 4Cs of diamond quality, is amongst the things people look at to determine the value of a diamond piece. It simply means the weight of a gemstone when placed atop a scale.
Most shoppers that seek fine diamond jewellery in Sydney, London, New York and other major commercial cities aren’t fully attuned to the definition of Carat, as they usually associate this with the size of a gemstone. While a stone’s size and Carat weight are closely correlated, these are completely different facets to a diamond.
Keep reading for an easy-to-understand guide of Carat weight and size.
How Carat weight and size differ
Of all the 4Cs of diamond quality, Carat is the most misunderstood one. Since it merely refers to the weight of a gemstone, which usually is measured with a scale, the Carat will solely pertain to it- not touching on its appearance.
Carat plays a huge role in establishing the size of a gemstone. Generally, the higher the diamond’s weight is, the bigger it appears. However, this isn’t always true. External factors such as cut and shape can also influence a gemstone’s size, which means a diamond can be bigger or smaller than its Carat weight.
A measurement of diamond quality
One Carat (ct) is equal to 200 milligrammes. To measure the weight of a diamond more clearly, jewellers divide each Carat by 100. To give an example, if a diamond weighs exactly half a Carat (0.50 ct), people can refer to it as a ‘fifty pointer’ whereas a diamond that weighs 1.04 ct can be referred to as ’one point oh four Carats’.
Here’s a simple chart made by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) that shows the correlation between Carat weight and size, assuming that the diamonds in the image are of the same cut grade.
Other factors that can influence a diamond’s size
Two diamonds of the same Carat weight may not have the same size. As mentioned earlier, cut and shape can affect a diamond’s appearance. A diamond that falls in the ‘poor’ cut grade may appear smaller than it should be as there may be ‘concealed’ Carat weight within some of its areas.
Tips when buying a piece based on Carat weight and size
Don’t base your options solely on Carat; instead, look at the cut too. A poorly cut diamond with more Carat will appear smaller than a well-cut diamond with less weight. Doing so will prevent you from paying more for extra weight that doesn’t positively do anything to the diamond’s appearance.
One helpful tip to save lots of bucks when buying white gold engagement rings—or any other piece of jewellery that’s crafted with diamonds—is to “buy shy”. This means opting for a diamond with a Carat weight that’s relatively smaller than half and full-Carat weights. For instance, if you are to buy a piece with a 1-Carat stone, you can choose a .95 ct one instead. You’ll get a diamond that’s only subtly smaller at a considerably lower price.
A diamond’s Carat weight influences a piece’s price so getting around its tricky facts will help you make better buying decisions. For more wise tips on buying jewellery, stay tuned for more blog posts.
