CARAT WEIGHT

The last but not least is Carat Weight. A diamond's weight is the easiest characteristics to measure, and from the beginning it has been used to determine the value of a diamond.

Early traders used the carob seed to weigh their diamonds because they are incredibly consistent in weight.

It used to be that a 1 carat diamond equalled the weight of a carob seed, but in modern day terminology the carat is a metric weight of 0.2grams or 1/142 of a standard ounce.

A carat is divided into 100 points. So a half carat diamond reads 50 points and is written as .50ct, three quarter carats are 75 points and written .75ct etc.

It is only possible to get exact carat weight on unmounted diamonds. Once a diamond is in a setting its weight can only be theoretically calculated and estimated based on mathematical formula and special gauges.

And last a diamonds carat weight has no influence on the other 3Cs.