CARAT

Diamonds are weighed in carats. A carat is equal to 0.2 grams, and is divided into 100 points, therefore a 25 point diamond = ¼ or 0.25 carat. The term carat is derived from carob seeds that were originally used to measure the weight of diamonds. These seeds, from the Ceratona Siliquia tree, are a remarkably uniform weight of 0.2 grams, and were used to measure the weight of diamonds until the system was standardised at the start of the 20th century.



Large diamonds are much rarer than smaller stones, and therefore larger gems are extremely expensive. For example, a 1-carat stone would be worth more than twice as much as a ½-carat stone of similar colour, clarity and cut.

When purchasing diamonds, equal consideration should be given to colour, clarity and cut, so that it is not the carat weight alone that defines the value of your diamond.