Diamond Carat Size Chart

Diamond carat size charts help us gage a diamond's weight to its size. They aren't an exact measure but do give you an idea of what size a diamond is based on its weight.

Don't get confused between karats and carats. Karats are a measure of gold's purity, while carats are a measure of weight for diamonds and carrots, well, that's a whole other story. ;-)

A carat is made up of a 100 points (just like a hundred pennies equals a dollar). So, 100 points equals 1 carat and is equivalent to 0.20 grams or 200 milligrams.

So, a big massive rock equals big carat weight. And because diamonds are rare and larger stones ever more rare, the bigger the carat size of an individual stone the bigger the price tag.

So a 2 carat diamond is worth more and, will cost more, than two 1 carat diamonds even though the total weight is the same.

Diamond Carat Size Chart

Remember that carat is only one of the 4Cs in diamond ratings, and bigger does not always mean better.

A two-carat diamond that is cut poorly is not nearly as beautiful and won't have anywhere near the Bling! that a smaller diamond cut by a skilled diamond artisan will. Or, even if it's cut well, it may have poor color and clarity—so don't just consider size.

So many people go into jewelry stores and immediately gravitate towards the larger diamonds. Stores actually put out inferior quality diamonds in higher carat sizes knowing that many folks will only be thinking in terms of carats and size and not think about all the other quality components of a diamond

So remember, if you're looking to save a few dollars don't sacrifice the cut for a bigger carat size. Shave a little off of the carat size, especially if it's an even number of carats like 1 or 1.25 or 1.5 and put the money towards a better cut.

The only reason an even numbered carat size is more expensive is because people like the idea of saying it's 1 1/2 carats (as opposed to saying it's 1.2 carats) and the diamond industry knows it...so they hike up the price for all even numbers.

One last thing that we just can't stress enough and that we mention on our page about diamond cuts is that a deep cut diamond (one whose pavilion is too long proportionately speaking) will have a greater carat weight but will have poor brilliance and sparkle. Which means that you will pay more for the stone but you'll end up with a diamond that doesn't sparkle and shine the way it should.

Those who do the research understand that diamond engagement rings are more than symbols of love and potential family heirlooms, they are an investment. And in order to know what you're buying and make an informed decision you need to understand every aspect of the stone—color, clarity, cut, and yes, carat sizes.

Now let's move on and learn about another one of the 4Cs: Diamond Color.