Diamond Carat Weight
Understanding Carat Weight
Carat measures a diamond's weight, not its size — and weight is only one piece of what makes a diamond valuable.
What Carat Actually Means
A carat is a unit of weight, defined as exactly 200 milligrams. The term comes from the carob seed, once used by ancient gem traders as a natural counterweight because of its remarkable consistency in size.
All else being equal, price rises with carat weight because larger diamonds are rarer. But two diamonds of the same carat weight can have very different values depending on their cut, color, and clarity.
Visualizing Carat Weight
Sizes shown are for general reference only and don't represent exact diamond proportions.
Why Charlie Weighs All 4Cs Together
A larger diamond with average cut, color, and clarity can actually look less impressive than a smaller, better-cut stone. Charlie will help you find the right balance across all four factors so your diamond looks its absolute best — not just the biggest number on paper.
Want the Full Technical Detail?
GIA and IGI both publish detailed, official guides to the 4Cs directly on their own sites.
