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Information about Carat Weight
- Carat or Karat? History and Origin
Carat of Karat? This
confuses many people but the correct word is carat! It is sometimes
incorrectly spelled as “karat” which refers to the fineness of pure gold
and gold alloys. What about the history and origins of the word 'carat'?
Where does the term 'carat' originate? The word carat derives from the
Greek word 'keration' meaning fruit of the carob. The Carob tree (Ceratonia
siliqua) is an evergreen tree, with an edible pod containing seeds,
which is native to the Mediterranean region. The seeds of the Carob were
used on precision scales as units of weight for small quantities of
precious gemstones because of their uniform size. The weight of an
average carob seed is 200 milligrams. The weight of one carat is
precisely 200 milligrams, or 0.2 grams.
Carat Weight
defines the weight, not the size, of a Diamond
The term 'carat' is
often misunderstood to mean the size of a diamond. The size of a diamond
relate to the dimensions or measurement in terms of length, width and
height. The carat weight is the standard unit of measure that
defines the weight of a diamond.
Information and
Definition
The following definition
can be used to clarify Carat Weight:
Ct. Weight -
'Points'
Carat weight is also
expressed as "points" to describe diamonds which weigh less than 1ct.:
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1 ct. = 100 points
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¾ ct. = 75 points
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½ ct. = 50 points
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¼ ct. = 25 points
A
hundredth of a carat is also called a point.
Hundredth of a
carat
A hundredth of a carat
is also called a point. Ct. weight is also expressed to the nearest
hundredth of a carat:
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75 points = 1/75 = .75 ct. diamond
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50 points = 1/50 = .50 ct. diamond
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25 points = 1/25 = .25 ct. diamond
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10 points = 1/10 = .10 ct. diamond
-
1 point = 100th of a carat
Therefore a .50 carat diamond can be called either 50 points, or 1/50 of
a carat.
Ct. Weight and the Price of a Diamond
The price of a diamond does not increase in proportion to the weight of
a diamond! There are various weights above which there is a steep
increase in value. The most notable example relates to the price of a
one carat diamond. Buying a diamond is not an everyday occurrence. This
website will testify that the subject of diamonds is literally a
minefield of information! Most of us are not aware of the complexities
of diamonds. But nearly everyone will have heard of a carat! So when we
go to buy a diamond the one thing that we have in mind is that a diamond
weighing 1ct. is what we should buy. The demand for a 1ct. diamond is
therefore very high. Consequently, the price of a highest quality 1ct.
diamond will cost significantly more than an equivalent diamond quality
weighing 0.95 carats.
The Size and Cut
As a ct. is a unit
of measure, and not size, two diamonds both weighing 1 carat may appear
to be different sizes! The final size of a 1ct. diamond depends on
how the diamond is cut. Some diamonds will have extra weight on the
bottom part, or pavilion and therefore appear smaller. A well cut
diamond will therefore appear larger than many diamonds of a heavier ct.
weight.
The 4 C's
The Ct. Weight of a diamond
is important but must always be considered in conjunction with other
import aspects - the Color, Clarity and Cut. Together, these are
referred to as the 4 C's - Carat weight, Cut, Color and Clarity. For
more information on these subjects please click one of the following
links:
The 4 C's to
Diamonds
Diamond Clarity
Diamond Color
Diamond Cut
Diamonds - CT. - Precious - Stone -
Guide - Price - Points - Facts - Information -Info
Jewelry - Cut - Clarity - Jewellery - Prices - Size - Jewel - Gem - Gemstone
Carat Weight
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