Carat weight - one carat equals 0.2 grams. One carat equals
100 points. A 50 point diamond is described as .50 carats.
The Larger a Diamond, the Rarer it will be.
Larger diamonds, and which are of the highest quality, are
found relatively infrequently in nature. What also makes a bigger
diamond so desirable is that it shows off a stone's fine colour
and cut, and therefore its brilliance to its best advantage. A
diamond's size is measured in carat weight, and each carat is
equal to 100 points. A .75 carat diamond is the same as a 75-point
diamond or a 3/4 carat stone. While larger diamonds are highly
prized, diamonds of equal size may vary widely in value and brilliance,
depending on their qualities of clarity, cut, and colour.
The term "carat " originated from the seeds of the carob tree.
These carob seeds are extremely uniform in eight and this made
them the ideal weight unit for the ancient gem traders. This weight
(one carob seed) as later standardized to be 1 carat, or 1/5th
of a gram, hence a five carat diamond equals 1 gram and 155.51
carats equal one ounce. The one carat weight is then broken down
into 100 equal parts called "points"; 75 points equal 3/4 of a
carat, 50 points equal 1/2 of a carat, etc. The significance of
the weight is like the other quality grades. Rarity, now by virtue
of the diamonds size and weight. Out of 250 tons of diamond ore
only a single one carat diamond of gem quality may be found. The
value of weight a 100 point diamond of VS-1 clarity and G body
color is generally worth 20% more than an identical VS-1, G color
diamond with a weight of .99 carats! A one point difference in
a diamond can make a huge difference in value. It is important
to understand that the weight of a diamond and its physical size
are two different things. Even if the only difference between
the two diamonds is .01 carat. Take for example two VS-1, G quality
grade 100 point diamonds to show the vast difference in value
that the cut will make. One of these diamonds will have the correct
6.5 millimeter diameter size required for a 100 point diamond.
On the other hand, the second diamond would have only a 5.5 millimeter
diameter. Because of this one millimeter diameter size difference,
and being the same carat weight, the smaller poorly cut diamond
would be worth more than 20% less. These value differences will
vary depending upon the size and quality grade of the diamond
you may be interested in.
To establish a diamond's quality, jewellers examine each of
the 4Cs -- cut, clarity, carat weight and colour. The combination
of the 4Cs determines the value of a particular diamond. For example,
a colourless diamond is the very finest... but if it lacks clarity,
is small, or not well cut, it will be of a lower value. The finest
stones possess the rarest quality in each of the 4Cs, and are
the most valuable. Strive for a stone that offers the best combination
of the 4Cs. It will help you to make an informed decision. Ultimately,
you'll discover the unique combination of the 4Cs that makes a
particular diamond the right choice for you. Its beauty and brilliance
will capture the true sentiment of the occasion.
