While now you know what carat means, itвЂ™s also important to remember that a diamondвЂ™s value is determined using all of the 4Cs, and not just carat weight. Carat is probably one of the attributes most often misunderstood as many believe carat refers to the actual size of a stone. However, two diamonds of equal carat weight can have very different values (and prices) depending on three other factors of the diamond 4Cs : Color, Clarity, and Cut.

But the biggest mistake an engagement ring shopper could make, she says, is getting bogged down by the weight. A 1.08 carat stone would be described as вЂone point oh eight carats.вЂ™ДЄll else being equal, diamond price increases with diamond carat weight because larger diamonds are rarer and more desirable. 2-Carat Diamond Credit: Courtesy of The Clear Cut This particular size is often the sweet spot for brides-to-be, explains Landau (at The Clear Cut, most fiancГ©es envision something between 1.5-2.5 carats). Insurance coverage is subject to underwriting review and approval, and to the actual policy terms and conditions. You might be surprised by the visual differences with each diamond face shape. For instance, the jeweler may refer to a diamond that weighs 0.25 carats as a вЂtwenty-five pointer.вЂ™ Diamond weights greater than one carat are expressed in carats and decimals. Use this Diamond Carat Size Chart to see how the 10 most popular diamond shapes compare as the carat weight increases. For instance the 1.90 carat set in a solitaire looks a bit smaller then the 1.68 carat set in a box setting. Notice settings which have more detail usually make the diamond look bigger or more pronounced. A jeweler may describe the weight of a diamond below one carat by its вЂpointsвЂ™ alone. Our guide to actual diamond carat sizes on a hand featuring various diamond carat weights. Today, a carat equals about the weight of a paperclip - 0.2 grams, or 200 milligrams. In the past gem merchants used carob seeds to help weigh gemstones and diamonds because the seeds were uniform in weight and size. The diameters below are based on actual diamonds listed for sale rather a theoretical carat/mm. Actual Carat Size on Hand How Diamond Carat is Weighed The term carat comes from the carob seed. Many diamond size charts tend to overestimate the diameter of a diamond for its carat weight.

Each carat is subdivided into 100 вЂpoints.вЂ™ This allows very precise measurements to the hundredth decimal place. WeвЂ™ve estimated the average diameter (mm) for excellent cut round diamonds using a sample of diamonds listed for sale. To put it simply, diamond carat weight measures how much a diamond weighs.ДЄ metric вЂњcaratвЂќ is defined as 200 milligrams. Another misperception is that a larger carat weight is always better than. Diamond Carat Weight Measures a DiamondвЂ™s Apparent Size It refers to a diamonds weight, not its size.

Actual carat size