Choose the carat of your diamond
What is a carat? A carat is a unit of measurement. It corresponds to the weight of the diamond. This measurement is used for all gemstones.
To choose a diamond, we rely on the 4Cs:
● "Carat": Weight of the diamond
● "Color": Color of the diamond
● "Clarity": Purity of the diamond
● "Cut": Cut of the diamond
The 4Cs are used to evaluate and determine the value of a diamond.
History:
The concept of carat comes from the carob seed used as a unit of measurement in the gold trade. This seed does not change weight throughout the seasons, elle did not interfere with the weight and price of gold.
Today, the carat is used as a universal unit of measurement in the world of gemstones: 1 carat = 0.20 grams.
It should be known that 1 carat is equivalent to 100 points just as 1 € is equivalent to 100 cents so a 70 point diamond weighs 0.70 carat.
The precision in the weight of the diamond is extremely important: A fraction of a carat can make a difference in the price of the diamond.
To weigh a diamond, you need a scale that must be installed away from drafts, vibrations and heat sources. These conditions are necessary in order not to distort the result. The stone must be clean. It is also necessary to check the accuracy of the scale: Zero it, weigh it empty then weigh it with the stone. For the result, you should always put 2 digits after the decimal point. Even if your diamond weighs 3 carats, it should be written as 3.00 carats.
Approximate classification scale
- 0.30 cts: 4.3 mm in diameter
- 0.40 cts: 4.8 mm in diameter
- 0.50 cts: 5.0mm in diameter
- 0.60 cts: 5.4 mm in diameter
- 0.70 cts: 5.8 mm in diameter
- 0.90 cts: 6.2 mm in diameter
- 1 cts: 6.4 mm in diameter
- 1.20 cts: 6.8 mm in diameter
- 2 cts: 8.2 mm in diameter
The carat of the diamond is unique to a person. Everyone will choose the weight that pleases them and suits them best. One should not forget the morphology of the fingers for example for an engagement ring.
Tips for choosing your diamond
● To choose the carat of your diamond, establish a budget if necessary. This budget will be essential to define the desired carat: A crucial factor because the larger the carat, the more expensive the price will be.
● Choose the carat of your diamond according to the desired jewelry style: Contemporary, classic, art deco...
● The choice of the stone will then influence the choice of your jewelry setting: Some settings correspond better to smaller stones and vice versa. If for example the prongs are too big, the diamond can be smothered in the ring. Or if the ring band is thin, do not choose a too large diamond.
● It is important to take into account your personality or the personality of the person to whom you are offering the jewelry. Choose either something discreet and timeless, or on the contrary, a piece of jewelry that is noticeable and stands out: This will influence the weight of the stone. The larger the stone, the more important the carat will be.
● Keep in mind all the criteria that determine a diamond and not just its carat weight. You need to balance all the criteria. The beauty of the diamond is the combination of the 4Cs.
● It is preferable according to your budget to take a lower carat diamond to maintain a good quality diamond: A good color, a beautiful sparkle...
● A 0.90 cts diamond will be much cheaper than a 1 cts diamond. Why? Because the demand for 1 carat diamonds is much stronger, so its price increases along with the demand. We advise you, if you have a limited budget, to take a 0.90 cts diamond which will be confused with a 1 carat for a lower price.
● The carat of the stone does not influence the size of the diamond, because everything is possible: Round brilliant, pear, heart, oval, cushion, radiant...
● Do not choose a diamond with a too high carat at the expense of its quality: It is not interesting to buy this kind of diamond because there is little sparkle on these diamonds.
● If you want to buy for another person, imagine what she prefers as diamond weight: Some prefer quality to size or vice versa.
If your purchase is a surprise, you can ask close ones, you can imagine what she would like based on what she already wears. You also need to take into account the size of the person's hand. If she has small hands, favor a small stone rather than an exaggerated model.
The visual difference between diamond carats depending on the shape:
The shape and size of a stone play an important role in determining how big or small the stone appears.
An elongated shape such as the Marquise cut, may appear larger than a rounded shape, if both stones share the same weight.
The Marquise cut is an ideal way to optimize carat weight and elongate the finger.
For the same carat weight, some shapes make the stone appear larger or smaller.
The less deep diamonds will also look bigger to the naked eye, despite an ideal cut and therefore less brilliance.
Stones set on a thin and delicate mount tend to appear larger than those on a thicker setting.
The rough diamond carat needed to make a cut diamond:
The percentage of loss in rough diamond can reach more than 70% during cutting.
One can then understand the dilemma faced by the diamond cutter, he will have to choose between obtaining the highest weight in cut diamond
at the expense of the quality of the cut, or obtain a slightly less important weight in cut diamond but the diamond will have a better cut quality. The carat of a rough diamond is much higher than that of a cut one. The lapidary must choose the best cleavage to avoid too much loss and have a stone with as few inclusions as possible.
It is a computer that calculates and gives the maximum size of the diamond at the time of faceting. Today, it is a valuable tool for the diamond cutter, it helps him in his choice in order to minimize the weight loss resulting from the cut.
The rough diamond will generally not be cut for a single stone if elle is of significant size. This rough stone will be separated into several pieces at the time of cleavage (cutting the stone in 2) and will form several gems of different sizes. The goal of seeking the best size of the diamond is to maximize the value of the diamond.
The more ideal the diamond's cut, the greater the loss on the rough diamond.
So we get a lighter diamond, a reduced carat but an incredible brilliance.
For an ideal cut on a one carat diamond, the loss is between 55 and 70%.
For a very good cut, the loss is reduced, between 50 and 60%.
Finally, for a good cut, the loss is between 45 and 65%.
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