| From Carly Wickell, | | | | higher price. A one carat diamond |
| Your Guide to Jewelry / Accessories. | | | | solitaire ring is nearly always more |
| FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! | | | | expensive than a diamond ring made up of |
| A Look at Diamond Carat Weight | | | | multiple diamonds that are similar, but |
| Carat is the term used to express the | | | | smaller, even though they total one |
| weight of a diamond, with one carat | | | | carat or more. |
| equaling 200 milligrams of actual | | | | Diamonds that weigh just under the next |
| weight. | | | | full carat are typically less expensive |
| Carat Abbreviations | | | | than diamonds passing the full-carat |
| The abbreviation ct is a shortened way | | | | hurdle. In her interview for About |
| to write carat, and refers to the weight | | | | Jewelry, Antoinette Matlins offered this |
| of a single diamond. | | | | opinion about carat weight: |
| The abbreviation ct TW means carat total | | | | "...try to find a diamond that weighs |
| weight, and is used to express the total | | | | 90-points (9/10ths carat), rather than a |
| weight of multiple diamonds used in a | | | | full 1-carat, or 1.90 carats rather than |
| piece of jewelry. | | | | a full 2-carats, and so on. When set, no |
| Carat Weight vs. Size | | | | one can see the difference, but you'll |
| Carat weight is used as a measure for | | | | enjoy a big savings in cost." |
| other gemstones, but different gems of | | | | Comparing Diamonds |
| the same weight aren't necessarily the | | | | Diamond comparisons are useless unless |
| same size, because some gemstones are | | | | they're made among diamonds with similar |
| more dense than others--meaning that | | | | qualities and features. |
| they pack more weight into a smaller | | | | Considering the price per carat is a |
| space. | | | | good way to compare the costs of similar |
| Weight of Small Diamonds | | | | diamonds. Divide the cost of each stone |
| The weight of smaller diamonds is often | | | | by its carat weight to calculate its |
| expressed as points, not carats. | | | | price per carat. |
| There are 100 points in a carat. Another | | | | There is no single visual diagram that |
| way to look at it is to say that each | | | | can illustrate diamonds of different |
| point equals 0.01, or one-hundredth, of | | | | carat weights, because variations in |
| a carat. | | | | shape and cut make stones of similar |
| Point Examples | | | | weights look very different. A diamond |
| 0.05 means five one-hundredths, so a | | | | weight estimator, a sheet with cutouts |
| 0.05 carat diamond equals five points. | | | | for different diamond shapes and sizes, |
| 0.25 means twenty-five one-hundredths, | | | | can help give you a preview of how a |
| so a 0.25 carat diamond equals | | | | diamond's size relates to its carat |
| twenty-five points--or one quarter of a | | | | weight. |
| carat. | | | | Carat weight is only one diamond |
| How Carat Weight Affects Value | | | | characteristic that you should explore |
| Larger diamonds are more rare and in | | | | before you buy a diamond. Take some time |
| more demand than smaller diamonds of the | | | | to understand more diamond basics before |
| same quality, so they can be sold for a | | | | you go shopping. |