- Carat
A CARAT is a measurement used to signify the weight of the diamond. It is the most precise of the four C's.Diamonds are weighed in metric carats; one carat equals 1/5 gram or approximately 0.007 ounces. It takes a little over 142 carats to equal 1 ounce. Every carat is divided into 100 points. Therefore, a 50-point diamond is also called a ½ carat.
Diamond weight is so precise that polished diamonds are weighed to a thousandth of a carat and then rounded off to the nearest hundredth (point). Diamonds weighing less than 20 points are often called melee. Another term often used is the term grain, or grainer.
A grain equals one-quarter (0.25) of a carat. For example, a 75-point diamond would be called in the trade a three grainer and a one-carat stone may be called a four grainer. Loose stones are weighed directly on a scale but mounted stones can only be estimated by plugging their measurements into a mathematical equation. Another quick way of estimating mounted round diamonds is by measuring the diameter of the diamond and comparing it to a size chart.
Since the price of diamonds is based upon rarity, the larger the stone the rarer the diamond and the higher the price per carat. A one-carat stone is much rarer than two half-carat stones, and is therefore considerably more expensive.
Diamonds are sold by carat weight. In the diamond trade, price is given in price per carat and not in total dollars.
The World's Largest Rough, Uncut, Diamonds
- Cullinan - 3,106.75 carats - 1905, South Africa
- Excelsior - 995.20ct. - 1893, South Africa
- Star of Sierra Leone - 968.80ct. - 1972, Sierra Leone
- Zale - 890.00ct. - 1984, Africa
- Great Mogul - 787.50ct. - 1650, India
- Woyie River - 770.00ct. - 1945, Sierra Leone
- Presidente Vargas - 726.60ct. - 1938, Brazil
- Jonker - 726.00ct. - 1934, South Africa
- Reitz - 650.80ct. - 1895, South Africa
- Unnamed - 620.14ct. - 1984, South Africa
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