

For practical reasons, the Cullinan was cut into seven large diamonds and 966 smaller satellite diamonds. Carats are divided into 100 points, so a 0.78ct diamond is called a 78. Interestingly, the largest diamond ever forund was the Cullinan Diamond, weighting in a 3,106.75 carats (or one and one-third pounds ) and mined from South Africa in 1905. Diamond weight is expressed in carats ( one carat is equal to 200 milligrams). And the type of setting can affect a diamond’s appearance. Remember that any diamond will look bigger when worn on a small hand. When choosing the right carat weight, you must take several factors into account. For this reason, a one-carat diamond costs far more than two half-carat diamonds of the same cut, color and clarity. Today, most diamonds are weighed using digital gem scales.Īlthough diamonds come in many weights, one-carat diamonds are found in nature less often than smaller diamonds and are therefore much more expensive. As technology evolved, jewelers began using mechanical balance and electric scales to measure carat weight accurately. It”s also important to note that “carat” should not be confused with “karat,” is derived from the carob seed, the ancient unit of measure for diamond weight. A 1.08 carat stone would be described as ‘one point oh eight carats.’ All other points of comparison being equal, diamond price increases with diamond carat weight, because larger diamonds are more rare and more desirable. One carat also equals 200 milligrams,and 142 carat equal one ounce. Diamond weights greater than one carat are expressed in carats and decimals. For instance, the jeweler may refer to a diamond that weighs 0.25 carats as a twenty-five pointer. A jeweler may describe the weight of a diamond below one carat by its points alone. This allows very precise measurements to the hundredth decimal place. One carat is equivalent to 100 points a half-carat diamond is 50 points, and so on. Each carat can be subdivided into 100 points. Diamonds are weighed in units called carats, the easiest of the 4 Cs to determine.Ī carat is a unit of measurement for diamond weight and is evaluated on a point system.
