Learn about diamond carat weight, the unique unit of weight measurement used to weigh gems and diamonds.
CARAT
We measure the weight of diamonds in carats because it is the most universal measurement in such small units. Don’t confuse Carats with Karats- gold purity.
Carats tells us the weight of a diamond, but not necessarily the size of the stone. Depending on how a Diamond is Cut, determines how big it actually looks. For example in the GIA reports below, a 0.90 carat stone could have a bigger size dimension than a poorly cut 1.00 carat stone.
Excellent Cut 0.90 carat = 6.31mm compared to Very Good Cut 1.00 carat = only 6.14mm