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DIAMOND GRADING
Carat Weight
Carat is a unit of weight equal to one-fifth of a gram. There are 100 "points" in a carat,
thus half a carat equals 50 points. As the carat size increases, so does the price.
Some abrupt price increases happen when going from size to size. For instance, a diamond
weighing .45 carats (3/8 carat category) might cost $1000; whereas the same diamond weighing
.46 carats (1/2 carat category) would cost $1400.
Weight vs. Size
Don't confuse weight with size. Diamonds of equal carat weight can look very different in size depending
upon how well they are cut. Most diamonds sold today are cut deep, making them look small for their weight, besides
compromising the brilliance they could display. Ask a jeweler to show you a GIA
chart that shows what size (in millimeters) a round diamond should be for its carat weight.
Rule: Always ask the measurement of the center diamond (in millimeters) and compare this value with
the charts below. If a jeweler won't give you the measurements, or show you the charts, don't buy there.
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