CARAT WEIGHT
Most people compare carat weight to size. The larger the diamond the more it weighs.
The weight of a diamond is expressed in carats. The word carat originated from the carob tree or Ceratonia siliqua.
The tiny seeds of this tree are well known for their uniformity and consistent weight.
Traditionally diamonds and gemstones were weighed against these seeds until the system was standardized,
and one carat was fixed at 0.2 grams. One carat is divided into 100 points.
A diamond weighing one quarter of a carat can also be described as weighing 25 points or 0.25 carats.
Points are generally not used to describe weights over one carat.
Here are some examples of different weights for round diamonds and their corresponding sizes.
These may not be actual size due to your monitor. The approximate girdle diameter is displayed in millimeters.
HOW SIZE EFFECTS RARITY
The rarity of a diamond is greatly affected by its size. The rarity of a 1.00 carat diamond is much greater
than twice that of a .50 carat. Although it only weighs twice as much, the 1.00 carat is statistically much
more difficult (rare) to mine than the .50 carat. For an easy comparison of price and size, see the table below.
Prices are approximate and based upon D Color, internally flawless, excellent cut.
