Jewelry Education – Diamond Carat Weight

One of the 4 C’s related to the value and quality of diamond grading is diamond carat weight.  Carat weight is the measurement applied to diamonds, precious gem stones, and pearls.  This measures the weight of a diamond, not the size of the stone, which is important to keep in mind.  The overall size of a diamond is directly related to the actual cut of the stone.

1 carat contains 100 points.  Therefore, a 1/2 carat diamond is often referred to as “50 points” or a “50 pointer.”  The larger the carat weight of a stone, the more valuable and the more rare the diamond is.