posted by asa arif on Sep 1
Although bigger seems better and more expensive, it’s not always so in the world of jewelry. In fact, size isn’t even synonymous with carat weight and you need to keep that in mind when shopping for gemstones.
Carat Weight versus Size
Diamonds and colored gemstones alike are evaluated and appraised according to the 4C’s which are made up by cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. Carat weight is very much different from size and definitely more important than the latter. Also, take note that carat is different from karat, which is the measurement unit used for gold. Carat weight uses the abbreviation ct and ct TW for carat total weight.
In the past, carob seeds were traditionally used to measure a gemstones weight because of its uniform shape and size. In 1913, however, the jewelry industry managed to set universal standards for measurement and the carat weight system was born.
Now, one carat is always equivalent to one-fifth or twenty percent of one gram. One carat is made up of one hundred points. As a gemstones weight goes up, so does its value or price per carat. Read the rest of this entry »
