Diamond & Jewelry News, Advice and Prices for Consumers
Diamond & Jewelry News, Advice and Prices for Consumers
March 4, 2010
Carat weight is fine, but it isn't really a weight measurement since it doesn't tell me how much a diamond actually weigh, in normal standards. Can someone tell me, roughly, how much diamond weigh?
January 12, 2012
March 30, 2010
For historical reasons, carat was defined as 0.2gr. Because of the fixed proportions for diamonds (especially round diamonds), the carat size of the diamond could be estimated from its length in diameter. Generally speaking, a 3 millimeter diameter diamond is 0.1 carat, while a 1 carat diamond is 6.5 millimeters in diameter.
March 24, 2010
Ok, let me elaborate on the first answer, which doesn't exactly answer your question...since your question is rather un-answerable. That aside, let's address these 'historical reasons' for a carat being defined as 0.2 grams. The word carat originates from the greek word for "carob". The seed of the carob was strongly tied to Mediterranean trade as they were seen as having a uniform weight and size. Because of this, carob seeds were used to balance the scale when weighing a precious gemstone. The use of these seeds was uniform throughout Europe. However, in the 1900 it was discovered that these seeds aren't actually uniform in weight. So, in the early 1900s the international organization responsible for standardizing weights and measures, called " the general conference on weights and measures", defined the carat as 1/5 of a gram (200 milligrams). The US accepted this standardization in 1913 as did the UK in 1914. By the mid 1900s, every major country involved in diamond trade accepted the carat standardization. MAKE NOTE: if your diamond is vintage, before 1930s, it may have actually still been weighed with carob seeds, and the weight might not be exactly accurate. This means that you might want to get such a diamond appraised to see exactly what its real weight is.
March 18, 2010
How much does which diamond weigh? I mean, what kind of question is that? That's like asking 'how much does a person weigh?' Which person? I might weigh more than my friend- and toddlers weigh far less than adults. So basically, to answer your question, unless you give me a diamond and a scale, I simply have no way of telling you how much any diamond weighs.
