What is a carat?



The word carat comes from the carob* seeds that were used in early times for balancing the weighing machines. Small in size, these little seeds are so surprisingly regular in mass and form, that even the most modern instruments detect a very minimum difference among them.

They give name to the unit designed for calculating the weight of a diamond, which it is equivalent to 0.2 grams (200 miligrams), or what is the same, 100 points.

1 carat = 0.2 grams = 100 points

Obviously, the more carat value the diamond have, the heavier the weight is, and in consequence, its price is higher.

The common believe tend to push us to buy the biggest sizes, but far from the reality, even the smallest diamond can be a perfect gift, of course, the personal preferences are king here.

Reminder: In small fingers, the diamond will always look bigger.

Even when there is a scale for weighing the diamonds, the price is not always following. Due to the nature of the diamond formation, the big sized gems are way rarer, making them exponentially more expensive. Have this in mind if your choice point towards a big stone !

What size should I buy?

Obviously this is a very complex question, with an even more complex answer, that is total and absolutely personal for every individual.

The standards tell us that for an engagement ring, the amount spent ranges from one to two months of salary. Of course it is a theory and every person should budget his/her purchase as they wish and feel comfortable with.

* Carob - a Mediterranean tree, Ceratonia siliqua, of the legume family, bearing long, leathery pods containing hard seeds and sweet, edible pulp.