The weight of a diamond is expressed in carats, this is the weight of measure that the jewellery industry uses to weigh diamonds. The word carat originated from the carob tree. The tiny seeds of this tree are well known for their uniformity and consistent weight. Traditionally diamonds and gemstones were weighed against these seeds until the system was standardized, and one carat was fixed at 0.2 grams. One carat is divided into 100 points. A diamond weighing one quarter of a carat can also be described as weighing 25 points or 0.25 carats. Points are generally not used to describe weights over one carat. Carat is often confused with size of a diamond even though it is actually a measure of weight, a diamond's size is measured by fractions of millimetres.
Larger diamonds are found in nature with much less frequency which makes them more valuable. A three-carat (3.00ct) diamond is always more expensive than several diamonds which add up to make three carats in total weight. The chart below outlines various diamond weight sizes and the corresponding milimetre size. The dimensions of the diamond should tell you how large the diamond will appear. The chart is not to scale and should only be used as a reference.
Diamond Carat Weight
Hundreds of tons of rock and ore must be processed to uncover a single one-carat gem quality diamond, and less than one percent of all women will ever own a one- carat or larger diamond.
Since a carat is a unit of measure and not size, two diamonds of the same carat weight may appear to be different sizes depending on how the diamond is cut. Some diamonds will have extra weight on the bottom part of the diamond, the pavilion, and therefore will appear smaller visually.
Do not be mistaken by the belief that the larger the carat weight, the more valuable the diamond. While this can be true, it is not necessarily so. Keep in mind that a diamond's colour, clarity and cut are major factors that influence the value of a diamond. For that reason, it is important for every potential diamond buyer to understand the importance of each of these characteristics and the impact it can have on the value of a diamond, when considering the purchase of a diamond. These characteristics are more commonly known as the 4C's - Cut, Colour, Clarity & Carat. Remember that choosing a diamond is not an exact science and a diamond buyer should decide what characteristics are more important to them and set some parameters to help choose the most suitable diamond.
Selecting The Ideal Diamond Carat Weight
When selecting the best carat weight, take into consideration such factors as your preference in diamond shape, the type of jewellery the diamond will be used in, if it is for a diamond ring then another factor such as finger size would also have to be thought of. Then there is the type of setting and the design of the piece of jewellery, with regard to your taste, style and fashion at the time of purchase. And more importantly is your budget for the diamond, as this will dictate a lot of the 4C's and then you can adjust accordingly for size, colour, clarity and diamond shape, as some diamond shapes on a per carat basis are more expensive than others. Most importantly the diamond you decide upon should be one that you love and will cherish forever.
VIEW: DIAMOND CARAT WEIGHT ESTIMATOR
Read: Diamond Certificate
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Diamonds
