There is more to know about diamond carats than meets the eye
When it comes to the 4 C’s, how important are diamond carats?
If you’ve ever heard talk about diamonds then you have probably heard about the 4 C’s.
These are Cut, Colour, Carat and Clarity.
The thing about diamond carats is not as clear as understanding how the cut, the colour and the clarity of the diamond. A beautiful diamond ring is made by taking the best of all these elements and combining them into one wonderful piece.
Most people assume the higher the number of diamond carats, the better the diamond ring.
That’s a misconception that can lead people into making a terrible and expensive mistake.
What is a diamond carat?
A carat is the unit of weight (shown as ‘ct’) that diamonds are measured and sold by. The carat actually comes from the word ‘carob’ seed. These seeds were the unit of measure for diamond traders from hundreds of years ago.
Carob seeds have been used throughout history to measure precious metals and jewellery because it was thought that they did not vary in weight even in huge amounts and mass distribution. This was taken as fact, but their mass actually varies almost as much as any other type of seed.
Since ancient times, each country had its own carat. It was most often used for the weighing of gold. It was only in the early 1570s that it was used to measure the weights of diamonds. Since then, diamond carats have become their own special unit of measure.
Diamond Carats and Size
The confusion about how diamond carats and the size of a diamond relate to the value of the diamond is still alive today.
People often take it that the diamonds are sold by the carat and that specifically relates to the diamond size. It’s important to know that diamond carats are a unit of weight and not size at all.
This then leads to the mistake of comparing the value of diamonds by their carat weight. Creating a diamond is a true work of art. If you compare two diamonds by carat weight, you are making the mistake of comparing the value of an artwork purely by its size.
A huge sculpture by an unskilled artist may be larger than a smaller classic art gallery piece, but that doesn’t mean it will be worth more.
It is true that larger diamonds are rarer than smaller ones and the value of the diamond increases with the carat weight. The key thing to take note of is that the increase in the value is not in proportion to the increase in size.
As an example – if you have two diamonds that have the same Colour, Clarity and Cut grading, the 1 carat diamond will cost MORE than double that of a ½ carat diamond.
Two diamonds of the same weight can differ greatly in value too. This all depends on the other 4 C factors of Cut, Colour and Clarity. If a diamond is poorly cut, the added weight could in fact reduce the brilliance of the diamond.
Seeing the difference in diamonds
You can see the difference in weight vs cut in two different diamonds.
If you look at a verified Ideal (or Excellent) cut diamond and one that is not, you will see a clear difference in how weight and cut work.
It is a mistake to pretend to know more about diamond carats, cuts, clarity and what colours of the diamond mean.
Remember that buying a diamond ring can be a large outlay. It makes sense not to make it costly for all the wrong reasons. That’s why asking for help and guidance from a trusted jeweller is one of the best investments you can make.
You want to stay away having to hear pushy sales talk or fancy, technical jargon. You need to be comfortable enough to ask any questions that you have.
That’s why Franco Jewellers are the team to talk to
Why choosing Franco Jewellers pays off
With Franco Jewellers on your side, you can be sure you make the best possible choice in a diamond ring to suit you.
This is your best chance to find a high quality diamond ring created with the best in craftsmanship and something to treasure for a lifetime.
It’s the special one on one customer service that goes to show you how special you are.
Talk to Franco Jewellers today – because you’re worth it.
