Diamond Carat Weight
Diamonds are sold by the carat (shown as ct.), which is actually a unit of weight, though most think of a carat in terms of size. The word "carat" comes from the "carob" seed, the original unit of measure for diamond traders. Today, a carat is equal to exactly 0.2 grams (about the weight of a paper clip). The weight of smaller diamonds are often expressed as points, not carats; so a 20 point diamond is 1/5 of a carat or 0.20 carats. Carat weight is unrelated to the similar sounding karat, which refers to gold's purity.
As the carat size of a diamond increases, the diamond's price increases at an increasing rate. This is because the larger the diamond, the more increasingly rare it is. Fewer than one in one million mined rough stones are large enough to produce a finished 1.00 carat diamond. So, as carat weight increases, you will typically pay more not only in total, but on a price-per-carat basis as well. The table below illustrates the typical relationship between diamonds of equal quality and increasing carat weights:
| Carat Weight | 1.00 | 2.00 | 3.00 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Price-per-carat Total Price |
$ 6,000 $ 6,000 |
$ 12,000 $ 24,000 |
$ 18,000 $ 54,000 |
The images below give an indication of how large certain weights of diamond are. Please be aware that this is only a guide and that the measurements listed below are only approximations.
McQueen Jewelry Buying Tip:
Look for diamonds that fall just under popular carat weights such as 1/2 ct. 3/4 ct., 1.00 ct., etc. Because these diamonds fall just shy of the popular weight, they are often sold at a slight discount compared to diamonds of full weight. For example, a 0.90 carat diamond will typically cost less on a price-per-carat basis than a full 1.00 carat diamond. Visually, they are difficult to distinguish. In fact, a smaller carat weight diamond may have a diameter equal to that of a heavier diamond, making it appear the same carat size when viewed from above.
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