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Diamond Buying Made Easier > Diamond Carat Weight
Diamond Carat Weight
Diamond carat weight is probably the easiest of the 4Cs to understand when we are buying diamonds... you put the loose diamond on a scale and write down the carat weight.... Simple!
You can trust this information, every country in the world has all kinds of rules about misrepresenting diamond carat weight. Modern electronic diamond carat weight scales are extremely accurate and
inexpensive, so anyone buying or selling diamonds can accurately weigh a loose diamond.
I could go on and tell you about some nonsense about carob seeds but it's not really that important. Here are a couple of charts that help when referring to
diamond carat weight.
- Important Take Away Points -
Diamond Carat Weight
#1- Two round diamonds that have the same carat weight could look very different in actual size. This has to do with how the diamond cutter has distributed
the weight through out the diamond.... in diamond cut I explain how a cutter can keep additional carat weight from the diamond
rough.
#2- When it comes to diamond buying there are some carat weight ranges that can command higher prices for a diamond just because it actually has a certain carat
weight. For example, there is a jump in price between a round 0.97ct. diamond and a round 1.01ct.diamond. The second diamond has crossed over the "magic" threshold to actually being in the 1.00ct.
diamond carat weight category, the first diamond could be called a "light 1 carat" diamond, it could look identical in diameter, and it could be available at a savings. It will look like a 1.00ct.
diamond without the premium of actually being a 1.00ct. diamond.
The diamond carat weight groups are as follows-
(0.23-0.29ct.) - 1/4 ct.
(0.30-0.37ct.) - 1/3 ct.
(0.38-0.45ct.) - 3/8 ct.
(0.46-0.49ct.) - Light 1/2 ct.
(0.50-0.69ct.) - 1/2 ct.
(0.70-0.89ct.) - 3/4 ct.
(0.90-0.99ct.) - Light 1.00 ct.
(1.00-1.49ct.) - 1.00 ct.+ (along with a jump at 1.25ct.)
(1.50-1.99ct.) - 1.50 ct.+ (along with a jump at 1.75ct.)
etc.
#3- If you don't know what a 0.45ct., a 0.75ct., or a 1.10ct. diamond looks like, go to a local jewelry store, they would be happy to show you for free.
You could ask a family member or coworker about the size of the diamond that they are wearing. Although.... it's not a good idea to go up to somebody on the street and ask them about the diamond
carat weight of their diamond ring... you might get hit on the head, tasered, or maced!
#4- All the diamonds in a piece of diamond jewelry can be added up to come up with a "total carat weight". For example, a "3 stone ring" could have a 0.34ct.,
a 0.37ct., and a 0.55ct. diamonds in it for a total carat weight of 1.26ctw. (there should be some indication that it is a total carat weight, expressed here as ctw.)
#5- Loose diamonds can be put on a diamond carat weight scale to determine the carat weight but once a diamond has been mounted into a piece of diamond jewelry
that opportunity is no longer available. In order to find the diamond carat weight of mounted diamonds... the diamond's carat weight must be estimated from its measurements. It's not very accurate but
you can't be taking diamonds out of their mounting in order to weigh them. It's always best to know the diamond carat weight, diamond clarity, and diamond color before any diamonds are set into a
mounting.
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