Education: Minimum Total Carat Weight
Minimum total carat weight education...Weight of a diamond determines its carat. An increase in its carat weight indicates increase in its price as well. Higher carat weight also increases price per carat in large diamonds, i.e. the total price of four quarter carat diamonds would be considerably less than the price for a single 1 carat diamond of comparable quality, and total price of hundred point carat diamonds would be yet lesser than the total price of four quarter carat diamonds.
Questions
What is minimum total carat weight?
Minimum total carat weight is the combined minimum carat weight of all the diamonds in a piece of jewelry. If a pair of diamond stud earrings has a total diamond weight of 1/2 carat, each earring in this pair would have an individual carat weight of 1/4 carat. The actual diamond you purchase may weigh slightly more or less than the fractional weight specified. The Federal Trade Commission has strict guidelines about the range of carat weight that a fraction can represent. The chart below outlines acceptable ranges for carat weights expressed as fractions.
- 1/4 carat total weight may be 0.21 to 0.29 carats
- 1/3 carat total weight may be 0.30 to 0.36 carats
- 1/2 carat total weight may be 0.45 to 0.59 carats
- 3/4 carat total weight may be 0.70 to 0.84 carats
- 1 carat total weight may be 0.95 to 1.10 carats
- 1 1/4 carats total weight may be 1.20 to 1.29 carats
- 1 1/2 carats total weight may be 1.45 to 1.55 carats
- 2 carats total weight may be 1.95 to 2.05 carats
What is a carat?
- Carat is the unit of measurement used to describe the weight of diamonds. One carat is equal to 0.2 gram, or 0.007 ounces (avoirdupois). Five carats equals 1 gram, and 141.7 carats equals 1 ounce.
- Carat weight is commonly expressed in points or fractions. There are 100 points in 1 carat. For instance, 0.33 carats is generally expressed as 33 points, or 1/3 of a carat.
Why is carat weight important?
- The carat weight of a diamond is a major factor in its price, but the cut, color, and clarity will also affect the price greatly. A 1/2 carat (0.50 ct.) diamond solitaire with high color and clarity ratings may cost more than a 3/4 carat (0.75 ct.) diamond solitaire with lower color and clarity ratings.
- Because large diamonds are much rarer in nature than small ones, diamond value increases exponentially for certain thresholds of diamond carat weights. A 1 carat diamond will cost more than twice as much as a 1/2 carat diamond of comparable quality.
How does carat weight affect diamond size?
- As diamond carat size increases, both the diameter and the depth of the diamond increase. This is why a 1 carat diamond (approximate 6.5mm diameter) does not look twice as wide as a 1/2 carat diamond (approximate 5mm diameter).
- When choosing a diamond size, keep the size of the wearer in mind. Diamond studs with an individual diamond weight of 1/2 carat each may be more suitable on very small earlobes than diamond studs of 1 carat each. Likewise, a 1 carat solitaire will appear much larger on a size 4 finger than a size 8.
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