Diamond Carat

Carat is specifically a measure of a diamond's weight, and by itself may not accurately reflect a diamond's size. The term carat originated in ancient times when gemstones were weighted against the carob bean. Each bean weighed about one carat. In 1913, carat weight was standardized internationally and adapted to the metric system. One carat equals 0.2 grams - a little more than 0.007 ounce. In other words, it takes 142 carats to equal 1 ounce.


How Carat Weight Affects Value

Carat Weight Affects Value

The carat weight of a diamond is an extremely important determining factor in its value. Diamonds are valued on a per-carat basis. Larger diamonds are rarer and in more demand than smaller diamonds of the same quality, so they can be sold for a higher price. A one carat diamond solitaire ring is nearly always more expensive than a diamond ring made up of multiple diamonds that are similar, but smaller, even though they total one carat or more. Diamonds that weigh just under the next full carat are typically less expensive than diamonds passing the full-carat hurdle. A two-carat stone will not necessarily cost twice per carat than a one-carat stone. It could cost much more, like three times. This is because diamonds are rarer in larger sizes, so increases in size can mean disproportionate increases in value. As you take a stone of a particular cut, clarity and color and move its carat weight to the next price category, you may see quite a large increase in the price per carat. This jump gets proportionately larger as the number of carats increases.



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How carat weight affects cost

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The size of a diamond has the biggest impact on its price Prices of diamonds are expressed in the trade as a price per carat. When we say that the Carat Weight has the biggest impact on the price of a diamond, not only is that true for the overall price of the stone, it is also true for the unit price per carat. That's why a 2 carat diamond is more than double the price of a 1 carat diamond. A diamond of G color and SI1 clarity will be in one category of prices when it is between 0.50 - 0.69 carats. In other words, the "per carat" price will be the same for a G/SI1 diamond of 0.52ct as it would be for a G/SI1 diamond of 0.63ct. If you know the per carat price, you simply multiply it by the carat weight. When you take that same quality Diamond and increase the size to the next price category, which is the 0.70 - 0.89 carat range, the price increase will be approximately $1,100 per carat. Increase to the 0.90 - 0.99 carat range and the price increase will be approximately another $800 per carat. Increase to 1.00 - 1.49 carat range, and the increase will be approximately another $800 per carat. Increase the carat weight to the 1.50 - 1.99 carat range, and the price increase will be approximately $1,200 per carat.











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