What Is Carat?

When purchasing diamonds, carat weight is one of the first specs that is used to search for a perfect stone. However, interestingly enough, carat is not the actual size of a diamond or other precious gems; it refers to gemstone or diamonds' weight.

Carat Weight vs. Visual Size

A larger looking diamond (or a gemostone) does not necessarily mean a higher carat weight. It does to a point but here are other several factors that can affect the visual appearance of a gemstone or diamond, even if they have the same carat weight:

Shape: First and foremost, the shape of a gemstone affects how large it appears visually. An oval, pear, or marquise cut gemstone may look larger than an emerald or round cut of the same carat weight due to its elongated shape. Even a radiant cut can appear larger than an emerald cut because the radiant is a brilliant cut, whereas the emerald has a step cut. Step cuts require deeper "bottoms" to achieve that glass shimmering look.

Density: Different gemstones have varying densities, which can influence their appearance. For example, a 1.00 ct. round diamond may look larger than a 1.00 ct. round sapphire due to the sapphire's higher density.

Cut Quality: A well-cut diamond or gemstone reflects light more effectively, which can make it appear larger and more brilliant. Poorly cut stones, even with the same carat weight, may seem smaller or less vibrant.

Understanding Total Carat Weight (TCW)

When browsing jewelry that features multiple gemstones, you’ll often encounter the term Total Carat Weight (TCW). This represents the combined weight of all the stones in the piece. For instance, a ring with three diamonds might have a TCW of 1.50 ct., but each individual stone would weigh less than 1.50 carats. It’s important to understand TCW, especially when comparing different jewelry pieces, as individual stones may be smaller than expected.

The Significance of Carat Weight in Value

Carat weight is a crucial factor in determining the value of a diamond or gemstone. Larger carat stones are generally more expensive due to their rarity. However, other elements such as cut, clarity, and color also affect a stone's overall valu

What Is The Difference between Carat vs Karat?

Gemstone carat and metal karat are two different measurements that are often confused. Carat is a unit of measurement used exclusively to weigh gemstones, including diamonds, while karat is a unit of measurement used to indicate the purity of gold. It is equal to 1/24th of the total weight of the metal. For example, 18 karat gold is  75% pure gold, while 14 karat gold is 58.3% of pure gold. The higher the karat number, the purer the gold.