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Diamond Ring Carat Guide |
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What is a carat? Carat is the unit of measurement used to describe the weight of diamonds. One carat is equal to 0.2 grams, or 0.007 ounces (avoirdupois). Five carats equals 1 gram, and 141.7 carats equals 1 ounce. Carat weight is commonly expressed in points or fractions. There are 100 points in 1 carat. For instance, 0.33 carats is generally expressed as 33 points, or 1/3 of a carat.
Why is carat weight important? The carat weight of a diamond is a major factor in its price, but the cut, color, and clarity will also affect the price greatly. A 0.50-carat diamond with high color and clarity ratings may cost more than a 0.75-carat diamond with lower color and clarity ratings. Within a specific price range, you will find a number of combinations of diamond carat weight and quality. If you value size over quality, you might choose a 1.00-carat diamond with an I or J color and SI2 clarity with a Good cut to get maximum size. For the same price, if you value quality over size, you might choose a 0.75-carat diamond with an E or F color and VS2 clarity with an Ideal cut. Because large diamonds are much rarer in nature than small ones, diamond value increases exponentially for certain thresholds of diamond carat weights. A 1.00-carat diamond will cost more than twice as much as a 0.50-carat diamond of comparable quality. How does carat weight affect diamond size? As diamond carat size increases, both the diameter and the depth of the diamond increase. This is why a 1.00-carat diamond (approximate 6.5mm diameter) does not look twice as wide as a 0.50-carat diamond (approximate 5mm diameter). When choosing a diamond size, keep the size of the wearer in mind. A 1.00-carat solitaire will appear much larger on a size 4 finger on than a size 8. What is minimum individual carat weight? Minimum individual carat weight is the minimum carat weight of one diamond in a piece of jewelry. If a pair of diamond stud earrings has a total diamond weight of 1/2 carat, the individual carat weight of each diamond would be 1/4 carat. The actual diamonds you purchase may weigh slightly more or less than the fractional weight specified. The Federal Trade Commission has strict guidelines about the disclosure of the range of carat weight that a fraction can represent. The chart below outlines acceptable ranges for carat weights expressed as fractions. Some diamonds may be cut into sizes between these more common fractions. Because it is more unusual for diamonds to be cut into these in-between sizes, ranges are not defined for these sizes. These sizes would have their specific carat weight (e.g., 0.62 carats) listed under minimum individual carat weight. 1/4 carat total weight may be 0.21 to 0.29 carats |
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