Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Carat Weight of a Diamond


Buying a diamond, especially a diamond engagement ring or loose stones intended for an engagement ring is a very special moment in your life.  However as it is an investment, you want to be sure you know what you are buying.  Diamonds are sold by carat weight and the larger the carat weight, the rarer and more valuable the diamond is likely to be. 

The word carat is derived from the word carob and was the original unit of measure for diamond traders.  The Mediterranean carob seed was an extremely consistent weight of measurement. The abbreviation for carat is “ct.” and a metric “carat” is defined as 200 milligrams or 1/5 of a gram.  The metric carat weight was standardized in the 20th century and the U.S. officially adopted the measurement in 1913.   

The GIA explains that “each carat can be subdivided into 100 points,” which means that every stone has a very precise measurement to the hundredth decimal place.  From a jeweler’s perspective, this means they may describe the weight of a diamond under one carat by the ‘points’ alone.  For example if a diamond weighs 0.25 carats, a jeweler may describe the stone as a ‘twenty-five pointer.’  The GIA notes that “diamond weights greater than one carat are expressed in carats and decimals. A 1.08 carat stone would be described as ‘one point oh eight carats.” 

When shopping for a diamond, please remember that a diamond’s value is not just based on the carat weight.  This means that any two diamonds of equal carat weight will not necessarily cost the same.   Diamonds are also valued based on three other factors - Clarity, Color, and Cut. 

As highly reputable jewelry experts, Padis Jewelry wants you to be satisfied with your purchase.  This is why our jewelry consultants will help you to select the best ring in terms of cut, color, and clarity as well as carat weight that fits your budget.  Visit our website to browse our exquisite collection or contact us to arrange a visit to our San Francisco or St. Helena showrooms.       

Since 1974, Padis Jewelry has been a trusted source for buying exquisite certified loose diamonds, engagement rings and fine jewelry.  We are one of the only jewelers in the area that offers such an exclusive selection of top names in the industry as well as such a large inventory.  We invite you to visit our showrooms to see our beautiful collection of fine jewelry.

Source: 4cs.gia.edu/en-us/diamond-carat-weight/ 

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