What exactly is a carat of a diamond?
The carat weight of a diamond is very important and when you look at gemstones, you may notice several words, such as size and points, which are closely related to carats.
Its terms can confuse, so, in this blog article, we explain exactly what a carat is and define the related words. This way, you are better prepared to choose a diamond.
Carat weight vs. diameter – the difference
When considering diamond carats, it is essential to understand that this is not the same as size. It is perfectly possible to have two diamonds with the same carat weight but of different sizes.
The size of a diamond is determined by the height, width, and measurements of the primary part, including the girdle and table facet. The table is one of the most important aspects of a diamond’s size, as it is this facet that remains visible once it has set the diamond in a ring.
What is Carat?
The carat determines the weight of a diamond. The carat is one of the four most significant quality features – the so-called four Cs – that are used to determine the price of diamonds. One carat equals 0.2g and is divided into 100 points. A so-called half carat, therefore, weighs 0.1 grams and is also referring to as 50 points.
We refer carat weights below 1 carat to as “points”: for example, a 75 points for a stone with 0.75 carats. One carat or more is called a “carat”, for example, a 1.5 carat.
It is important to consider the carat weight and cut together when purchasing. A higher carat weight with a deeper cut category may appear smaller than a diamond with a slightly lower carat weight with a very excellent cut.
Carat – the Weight and size of the Diamond
Although the size of a diamond is not determined solely by carat weight, it matters in determining diamond size.
With set diamonds – especially brilliant-cut diamonds (i.e. round diamonds) – the diamond it can also measure and the number of carats estimated using the parameters. To give you a feeling for the size of different diamond shapes based on the carat weight.
Carat Number Determines Diamond Value.
Besides the weight (carat), the color of the respective piece of jewelry is a decisive unit when determining the diamond value. Ultra-fine white and ultra-fine white plus, i.e. when diamonds can no longer be seen on a sheet of white paper, bring in the highest price for a purchase.
Tinted white can still get a good price, but you will get the least for your diamond if they color it yellow. Whether buying diamonds or gold – it always depends primarily on the quality of the piece of jewelry.
How do I determine the right carat weight for my engagement ring?
Most people ask themselves this question when buying a diamond. Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer.
The choice of carat weight depends on the following factors:
Taste: Do you place more emphasis on the quality and fire of the stone or its size? The answer to this question is the basis for choosing the carat weight.
Budget: Since the price of a diamond is most influenced by its carat weight, the budget plays a crucial role in the choice.
Setting: The setting of a diamond can make the gemstone appear larger than it is. In a halo setting, for example, the major stone appears up to 0.5 carats larger than it is because of the small diamonds surrounding it.
Shape: The shape of a diamond can make a stone appear larger. Navette or pear diamonds, for example, often appear larger than a brilliant-cut diamond with the same carat weight.
The wearer: When choosing the carat weight, the wearer of the diamond should be considered. For rings, choose the carat weight depending on the size of your hand.
The following applies: the narrower the finger of the hand that is carrying it, the larger the diamond appears.
Carat vs. Price?
The bigger the diamond, the more expensive it is! However, this ratio also depends on other factors, such as quality. However, two seemingly identical diamonds can also have different prices. Find out why here.
No matter what you choose, it is important that you like the diamond. All diamonds we offer are certified and put into circulation as part of the “Kimberley Process”. This guarantees an ethical supply and production chain and prevents trade with conflict regions worldwide.
EXPERT TIPS: IMPORTANT FACTORS TO BUY
Many factors play a role in buying a gemstone wedding ring. On the one hand, of course, the size of the hands is an important factor.
With narrow and delicate hands, even medium-sized diamonds on the ring can unfold their full effect. The size of the stones to be chosen always depends on the size of the hands and the design of the ring. First, pay attention to the correct ring size before choosing the right gemstone.
In addition, more factors play a role in a diamond than just the carat. Here, we use the English term, as this is the only way to describe the four C-s as quality features more easily.
The Cs: Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat are used to determine the quality of a diamond.
We have talked sufficiently about weight, i.e. carat. Color describes the color classification of a diamond. The more transparent a stone is, the greater its value. Cut refers to the cut of the stone.
It made the better and more precisely a ship, the more the diamond increases in value and effect. Clarity defines the purity of a diamond. The number of trapped foreign bodies in a diamond varies significantly. The fewer foreign bodies there are, the better the clarity and the higher the price.
So the four Cs play an enormously powerful role in the pricing of a diamond, with none of these factors being able to play a leading role. The cut or awful color can reduce an almost perfect purity (flawless) in value.
Summary and carat weight recommendation
Don’t be fooled by the quirky notion “the higher the carat weight, the more my diamond looks”.
The phenomenon is well known and yet it is one of the critical mistakes made by those who are interested in buying a diamond with a diamond ring, especially for the first time.
What matters is the fact that many pay attention to the carat weight before the 3 other characteristics, such as the diamond cut characteristic, the diamond color, and the clarity of one of these precious stones. With the addition of examples from practice, I will go into this in further chapters.
In the next chapter, you get an overview of the diamond carat tables used in it. Knowing the actual size of a diamond is especially useful when you are just starting with diamonds. This topic is about the exact dimensions of the corresponding diamond weight.
Hints for buying a diamond at Gemistone Jewelers
If you want to buy a diamond, don’t just consider the number of carats. The secret to finding the best diamond is looking at the combination of carat weight along with the size and other essential characteristics of the diamond, such as color, cut, and clarity.