The H.Samuel Diamond Buyer's Guide - Diamond carat weight

Diamond Carat

When buying diamond jewellery, carat is the first of the 4Cs to consider. Carat is the weight of a diamond and does not necessarily reflect its size. Larger carat weights are rare and more valuable than lower carat weights. However, the value of a diamond can also be affected by the colour, clarity and cut of the diamond.

What is a carat?

The word carat dates back to ancient times, when gems were measured using the weight of a carob seed. One carat is the same as one fifth of a gram. A carat can also be divided into 100 'points.' If someone refers to a half carat diamond, this is the same as a 50 point or a 0.50 carat diamond. Similarly, a quarter carat diamond is equivalent to 25 point, or 0.25 carat.

If a piece of jewellery contains more than one diamond, for example a diamond cluster ring or a diamond three stone ring, the stated carat weight reflects the total weight of all the stones together.

Is carat the same as size?

One diamond may look bigger than another but, in fact, weigh less. It is worth taking your time to find the right diamond jewellery with a setting that optimises its size, beauty and brilliance. A good cut and certain settings can make a diamond appear larger than its actual carat weight, so don't just look at the carat weight, but take other things, such as setting and cut into consideration when choosing your diamond.