Diamond Carat Weight

Out of the 5 C's Carat is the easiest to determine. Carat is actually a measurement of weight rather than size. However it should be relative to size as well.

One carat is equal to 0.20 grams (weight). In the diamond industry "1.00 carat" is divided into 100 "points", so for example a 70 "points" diamond weighs 0.70 carats.



Two diamonds of the same shape and carat weight may still appear different in size based on the cut proportions. A deeply cut diamond has a greater proportion of its total weight "hidden" in the depth, resulting in a smaller diameter than a well cut diamond. These differences are usually small, but noticable. A well cut diamond may even have a slightly lower carat weight than a deeply cut diamond, yet still have a larger diameter, making it appear larger in size.