Think of diamonds, think of carats. In fact, generally the carat is the first thing people enquire about.
However, the carat is the most misunderstood characteristic of the 4Cs: carat, cut, clarity and colour.
The term ‘carat’ originated with early gem traders who used seeds of the carob pod as the standard for measuring weight. This is because the size of carob seeds are almost always identical. ‘Carat’ originates from the Greek word meaning “fruit of the carob tree”.
The most important thing to remember when it comes to carat is that while many people believe it refers to size, it actually refers to the weight. Today, a carat weighs 0.2 grams and the number of carats is based on a point system. One hundred points equals one carat. The use of a point system allows jewellers and valuers to give a more precise weight. Diamond carat is not necessarily reflected in size; while a stone may appear larger, it may weigh less so it will be less carats.
Another thing to note is that if there are multiple stones on a piece of jewellery, the stones are weighed together.
The weight of the diamond is directly reflected in how much it costs. Larger stones tend to be rarer so the cost will increase. In fact, less than one in one million stones are large enough to produce a one carat diamond or larger.
The size of the diamond
Interestingly, the size of the diamond does not increase exponentially with the carat weight. There are two factors used to determine the diamond’s size: the dimensions of the crown (the top of the diamond) and the quality of the cut.
The significance of the crown measurement is that most of the time, a diamond is viewed from the top.
Regarding the quality of cut, it comes down to how deep the stone is cut. If it’s too deep, some of the carat weight will be hidden in the bottom, making the stone appear smaller than it actually is. On the other hand, if the diamond is cut too shallow, light will leak through the base of the diamond and it will lose brilliance. Importantly, don’t be fooled by the fact that it appears larger on the top.
The thing to remember when looking at carat is this: while a one-carat diamond is a coveted stone, if cut incorrectly then it’s most definitely not worth the expense.
Weigh it up
So you now know how the weight of the carat impacts the price and size of a diamond. But there are also other things to consider when it comes to carat.
First, the other three C’s (cut, clarity and colour) will largely influence your purchase decision. Carat is just one factor, so don’t dwell on it too much, and take into account the entirety of the diamond’s character and craftsmanship.
Second, the size of the setting needs to be taken into consideration. This is especially true when it comes to rings, as large diamonds can look out of place on delicate hands. This means you may be able to get away with a smaller stone. Also, if stones are being clustered together or strung along a necklace for example, each stone can be slightly smaller as the measurement of carat is taken by combining all the diamonds on the piece.
Third, there are three main intervals when it comes to carat – half, three-quarter and one – and the price jumps at these intervals. Visually, there is not much difference between a 0.7 carat and a three-quarter carat. However, because the three-quarter is considered a ‘magic size’ the price tends to jump at that increment. Also, speaking of the ‘magic sizes’, finished diamonds are cut from one piece of rough, which is why one carat stones are rarer and much more expensive; it can be difficult to find a rough big enough to create the finished product.
Finally, it’s always important to remember that even though two diamonds may be the same carat, that doesn’t mean they will be the same price. Not only does the setting come into play, but the other three Cs play a very large role in the final stone.
To find out more about diamonds and what to take into consideration when buying them, contact the experts at Australian Diamond Brokers today.
by Australian Diamond Brokers : April 26th 2017 Come visit our store or browse our website to find out more.