Carat

The carat weight measures the mass of a diamond. One carat is defined as a fifth of a gram, or exactly 200 milligrams. The point unit—equal to one one-hundredth of a carat is commonly used for diamonds of less than one carat. The value of a diamond increases exponentially in relation to carat weight, since larger diamonds are both rarer and more desirable for use as gem stones. Unfortunately, the price per carat does not increase smoothly with increasing size. Instead, there are sharp jumps around milestone carat weights, as demand is much higher for diamonds weighing just more than a milestone than for those weighing just less. As an example, a 0.95 carat diamond may have a significantly lower price per carat than a comparable 1.05 carat diamond, because of differences in demand. So, it is not always advisable to shop for diamonds on an absolute scale, as you may be surprised by these "jumps" in price with small increments in size.

Total carat weight is a phrase used to describe the total mass of diamonds or other gemstone in a piece of jewelry, when more than one gemstone is used. Diamond solitaire earrings, for example, are usually quoted in total carat weight when placed for sale, indicating the mass of the diamonds in both earrings and not each individual diamond. Total carat weight is also widely used for diamond necklaces, bracelets and other similar jewelry pieces. When shopping for jewelry with multiple gem stones, please be aware that the total carat weight of the piece may and will include even the smallest diamonds.


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