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Diamond Carat: What You Need to Know
Carat is a unit used to measure the weight of gemstones. One carat equals 0.2 grams. The weight unit for gems has changed a lot over time. Since 1913, the whole world has followed the same rule: one carat is one-fifth of a gram.
For small diamonds, one carat is split into 100 points. A 40-point diamond means it is 0.4 carats. Diamonds that weigh more than one carat are much fewer than those below one carat. This is why larger diamonds are more rare and valuable. As one of the four key C factors, carat weight greatly affects a diamond’s price.
Diamonds come in all sizes, from just a few points to dozens of carats. Their distribution is like a pyramid. Diamonds with excellent 4C grades stay at the very top of the pyramid. Here is a simple example. A single 2-carat diamond costs more than two 1-carat diamonds of the same quality. Big diamonds with top-tier cut, color and clarity are really hard to find. One carat is equal to 200 milligrams, and also 100 points.
Carat is the standard weight for diamonds and many other gemstones. It is just like how one dollar has one hundred pennies. A 50-point diamond is 0.50 carats. Two diamonds with the same carat weight can have totally different prices. This big gap comes from their cut, color and clarity. Most diamonds made into fine jewelry are less than one carat. A 1-carat diamond weighs about the same as a paper clip. The higher a diamond’s grade, the stronger the influence of weight on its price.
How Important is Diamond Carat Measurement?
A tiny difference in diamond weight can lead to a huge difference in price. This situation is even more obvious when the weight hits a full carat number. That is why accurate measurement is so important.
In ancient times, different countries used different measuring standards. Back then, one carat was about 205.3 milligrams. To turn it into today’s standard, you need to multiply the old number by 1.0265. The metric carat was officially used worldwide from 1913. Now one carat is fixed at 200 milligrams. People no longer need to do difficult conversions.
On official diamond grading reports, the weight is usually recorded to three decimal places. The IGI, International Gemological Institute, uses high-precision electronic scales. Its accuracy can reach 0.00001 carats to get the exact weight of each diamond.
What Carat Size Should You Choose When Buying a Diamond?
Two main things you need to think about first: your finger size and your budget. If you love big diamonds but do not have much money, you should put cut quality in the first place.
Diamonds have carat premium, which means prices rise sharply at full carat marks. Never pick a bigger diamond with a poor cut. A good cut brings out brilliant sparkle and fire in a diamond.
You can also choose diamonds in I-J color grade with no visible flaws to the naked eye. The color difference in this range is hard to notice when you look at the diamond face up. Before you make a purchase, learn well about diamond carat knowledge. It will help you pick out the most suitable diamond for yourself.