Carat weight of Diamonds

This is probably the most common criteria shoppers are aware of. The carat weight of a diamond is simply the weight of the diamond. A carat is a unit of measurement and 1 carat is equal to 200 milligrams or 0.2 grams. Hence a 1.25 carat diamond will weigh 250 milligrams.

The value of a diamond comes partly due to the fact that larger diamonds are found far less often than smaller diamonds. This means that the price of a diamond will increase exponentially as the carat size of the diamond increases. All other things being equal, a 2 carat diamond will always be worth more than two 1 carat diamonds. The most common size of diamond that Jewelers sells is between 0.6 carats and 1.25 carats in size. This range of diamond has the best size for value ratio and is easily fitted in most pieces of jewelry.

Ohaus very accurate laboratory scale

The size or carat weight of a diamond cannot be used alone to determine the value of a diamond. A large diamond will not be as valuable if it does not show good color, a fine cut or excellent clarity. All factors (cut, color, clarity and carat weight) are used together to determine the value of a diamond.

A common misconception is that a 2 carat diamond will look twice the size of a 1 carat diamond. Since the carat of a diamond refers to its weight, a 2 carat diamond will not be 2 times the size of a 1 carat diamond but it will be twice the weight. A 0.5 carat round diamond has a diameter of approximately 5.2mm while a 1.0 carat round diamond has a diameter of approximately 6.5mm.

When choosing the carat size of your diamond, remember to keep a good balance between size and quality. If you are looking for a larger diamond, you may have to lower the color or clarity.