Carat Weight

Diamond weight is measured in carats. One carat is divided into 100 points. Therefore, a diamond weighing 50 points is equal to .50 carats or 1/2 carat. Always know the exact carat weight of a diamond. There is a common practice of rounding to the nearest quarter even if the weight is + or - up to 10 points. Ex. A 40 point diamond will be described by some as a half carat. This is a common practice, so cover yourself and know what you are getting. While not to scale, use the chart below to compare size differences.

Larger diamonds are not found as often in nature as smaller ones. That makes larger stones have a greater value. While everyone wants the biggest diamond affordable, that may not be a wise decision. Large diamonds can be beautiful, but only if all of the 4Cs are taken into consideration. For example a large diamond may seem affordable, but have negative qualities that take away from the beauty of the stone.