Carat weight
Not to be confused with “karat” which is the standard measurement for the purity of gold, Carat is the standard measurement for the weight of a diamond.
The term carat originates from the use of the seeds of the carob tree as a standard measurement of weight going back to biblical times. For centuries it was though that all carob seed were of a uniform weight. However, we know today that this not true and a “carat” now is measured as 200 milligrams. The term, however, remains. The vast majority of diamonds sold in the United States and indeed the world, weight one carat or less.
During the process of turning the raw diamond into your beautiful stone, up to two thirds of the original stones weight is lost. Most of the raw stones mined, after cutting or polishing, weigh one carat or less. Larger raw diamonds are rarer, which means that two or three carat diamonds will be significantly more expensive than the equivalent two or three one-carat stones of the same quality.
It is important, when purchasing a diamond, to remember that the term carat refers to weight and not to physical size. In fact a two carat diamond is, on average, only 30% larger than a one carat stone.
And now for some trivia! Diamonds with a greater carat weight are progressively more expensive. How much do you think these diamonds are worth? By the way, there are no prizes for guessing the right answers.
1. The Golden Jubilee - 545.67 carats
2. The Cullinan I (the Star of Africa) - 530.20 carats
3. The Incomparable - 407.48 carats
4. The Cullinan II - 317.40 carats
5. The Spirit of de Grisogono - 312.24 carats
The famous Hope Diamond that is exhibited in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC weighs ONLY 45.52 carats.
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