Can you tell the difference between a 0.9ct diamond and a 1ct diamond? Chances are probably not but the difference can be up to 30% in price!
In this guide you'll learn about carat, one of the Four Cs used to determine the quality of a diamond and thus, its price.
Before we go further into carat, it's important not to confuse it with karat as they are unrelated. Now, karat (K) determines the purity of metals such as gold, platinum and silver and it's measured out of 24. So, 18K Gold is 75% gold.
But, what's a carat?
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'Carat' is a metric which refers to the weight of the diamond and not the size of it.
A carat (ct) is defined as 200 milligrams (0.2g). A diamond's carat can also be divided further through the use of a 100 point scale. That is to say, a diamond can weigh 0.50ct or even 1.28ct.
Furthermore, if a ring has multiple diamonds, such as a five-stone ring, they will not be weighed separately. They will be weighed collectively to give the total carat weight (tcw).
To get a visual aid of how big diamonds are, take a look at this diamond size chart.
Image Via - bhakticafenyc
From this diamond size chart, you can see the varying weights and sizes of diamonds.
What's remarkable is how much a diamond's prices can fluctuate depending on what you're looking for.
Did you know a 2ct diamond can cost more than two 1ct diamonds? Diamonds of a greater size are harder to find and are priced accordingly.
In addition, if you had two diamonds with a narrow difference in carat weight but matched across colour, clarity and cut, you should still expect noticeable differences in price.
Of course, this makes choosing the ideal carat-sized diamond difficult but here are some stats on the average carat-sized engagement ring around the world.
The averages featured in this table show fascinating differences.
The fluctuations in price can be attributed to the other Cs which consist of clarity, colour and cut.
It's here where light can have a dramatic affect on how well the diamond can shine which adds to its visual appeal.
This is influenced by how well the diamond is cut but you'll learn about that in the next guide!
Before you start go further into diamond carat? What's a buying an engagement ring 101?
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The most important advice for choosing a perfectly sized diamond is taking into account the lifestyle, habits and profession of the person the diamond is for. Why? It will have a dramatic impact on their ability to wear the ring.
For example, an international business person, a person who works in sport, a designer or even an office-based worker may have different routines and this needs to be factored into your analysis when you're profiling your diamond.
However, If the receiver is intent on a certain carat size diamond, carat weight will be the most important factor.
As you venture further into carat, you'll notice how much the cut of the diamond has an influence.
Now that you have an idea of diamond carat, it's important to stress the importance at how much the prices can fluctuate and the intended wearer's habits and routine.
For instance, full and half-carat weight diamonds can cost more than diamonds around those weights and yet, the naked eye can struggle to distinguish them.
In addition, the recipient of the diamond will have their own lifestyle and personal habits and this needs to be taken into account when choosing the carat size.
Finally, the size of the ring finger can distort the size of the diamond as a 1.4ct diamond would look big on a size 4 finger but not so much on a size 8 finger.
Something to think about!
Learn more about the 4Cs by learning how the cut of a diamond can influence how well light travels through the stone.