Diamond Guide: Carat

Colour, Clarity and Cut are all very important properties of a diamond. Carat, however, is often the thing you'll notice first when looking at a diamond because it is referring to the size of a diamond.

Why Weight?

Carat Weight is a unit of measurement which classifies the size of an individual stone. A 'carat' is broken down into 100 points with a 1.00 (one) carat diamond being equal to those 100 points and often referred to as a "full carat". We use a decimal system to grade the carat weight and number of points a diamond has. For example, if a diamond weighs in at 72 points of a carat, it would be graded as 0.72 carats. The carat weight makes up the size of a diamond, however, we refer to the weight of the diamond and not diameter because, contrary to popular belief, diamond size is not determined solely by the diameter of the stone but by the all-around measurements of it (depth, crown size, etc). Because of this, you may see a stone that is 0.80 carats but its diameter looks very similar to a 0.60 carat diamond, it all comes down to the overall weight.

Total Diamond Weight

When we talk about the carat weight of a diamond each diamond gets its own individual measurement, but you may often hear the term "Total Diamond Weight" this refers to the amount of carat weight a piece of jewellery has altogether, which is determined by adding the weight of each diamond that is set in a piece together. For example, the ring you see here has a centre diamond weighing 0.41 carats, but the Total Diamond Weight (TDW) is 2.14 carats, meaning the accent diamonds make up 1.73 carats.

The easiest (and most fun) way of determining the carat weight you prefer, and that best suits your hand is to try on various weighted rings. Our diamond and engagement specialists at Silveri Jewellers are eager and willing to help you find the perfect ring - visit us in-store or contact us to set up a free consultation appointment. Shop diamond engagement rings online here. ••

Continue through the Diamond Guide to Cut>>