Diamond Carat Weight
What is a Carat?
The carat is the unit of measure for diamonds. One carat is the same as .2 grams. Carat weight refers to how much a diamond weighs. Diamonds are weighed using scales that can measure extremely small weights. Total carat weight (ct. wt.) refers to the total weight of all diamonds in a piece of jewelry when there is more than one Stone. It is important to inquire on the size of each stone when buying a piece when only the carat total weight is listed.
How Does Carat Weight Impact Price?
Increase in value is not always proportionate to size increase because other factors (color, cut, clarity, etc.) play an important role in diamond value too. Prices increase exponentially rather than incrementally. You can get a higher carat weight for your money if you buy a carat that is just shy of the next whole carat, i.e. buying a 0.90 carat diamond instead of a 1 carat diamond. The difference in size is slight and you can save a decent amount of money.
A thinner band can also make a diamond appear bigger. The size of hand wearing the diamond will also impact how large the stone looks.
When purchasing a diamond, it is important to keep in mind the other factors that impact the diamond, especially cut grade. Diamond cut qualities can vary greatly so the diameter of a diamond (how large it appears) will also vary for a specific carat weight. A well-cut diamond is balanced and optimizes light. It maximizes surface area so it will appear larger than a heavier diamond that is more deeply cut. Having more depth will add to the carat weight but will not look bigger from the top of the diamond.
To find more information to help in your diamond buying journey read about diamond color or fancy colored diamonds.