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Home > Diamond & Jewelry Education: Diamond Carat
 

Diamond Carat

 

Determining the right Carat size, an integral piece of the four C’s, is more complicated than you might think. Although larger Carat sizes, in general, are equated with higher prices, bigger does not necessarily mean better.

If a Diamond is poorly Cut, it may hide the Carat Weight one way or another. In other words, if a Diamond is Cut too deep, the Weight will fall to the bottom of the Diamond, making the Diamond appear smaller than it is. Likewise, a shallow-Cut Diamond may make the Carat appear larger than it actually is. Cutting a Diamond too extremely (either shallow or deep) adversely impacts the amount of light reflected from the Diamond, and thus how much it "sparkles."

Diamond Weight – Carat – is measured in grams, where 1 Carat = .20 grams. Carats are graded on a 100 point scale, where 1 Carat = 100 points. Thus, a 100 point Diamond = 1 Carat = .20 grams.

    Relative Diamond sizes

  • 1/2 ct. tw.
  • 3/4 ct. tw.
  • 1 ct. tw.
  • 1 1/2 ct. tw.
  • 2 ct. tw.
  • 3 ct. tw.
  • 4 ct. tw.

Ultimately, the size of a Diamond is the Carat Weight. In combination, Carat, Cut Grade, and table size (millimeters across the top of the Diamond) govern how large a Diamond appears.

The following table shows approximate table sizes and Carat equivalents for Round Diamonds:

Table Size Carat Equivalent
5.1 mm .50 ct 50 points ½ carat
5.8 mm .75 ct 75 points ¾ carat
6.4 mm 1.0 ct 100 points 1 carat
7.4 mm 1.50 ct 150 points 1 ½ carat
8.0 mm 2.0 ct 200 points 2 carat
9.3 mm 3.0 ct 300 points 3 carat
10.1 mm 4.0 ct 400 points 4 carat

 

Carat Weight is not directly proportional to price. For instance, two 1 Carat Diamonds is not equal to one 2 Carat Diamond. The larger the Carat, the rarer the Diamond, and therefore, all things being equal, the more expensive the price per Carat.

For more information on how Diamonds are graded, please see our Jewelry Education Section on Certification.

Please feel free to contact us with your inquiries regarding purchasing Diamonds at various carats.