Of the 4Cs of diamonds, carat weight is the most objective and the easiest to understand. Quite simply, it refers to the weight of the diamond as measured in carats, the scale used for gemstones. The greater the carat weight of the diamond, the more rare it is and usually the bigger it is.
But size in diamonds is first and foremost about the visual size appearance and not only about carat weight. To be sure, a 2 carat stone will have a larger visual size appearance than a 1 carat stone and a 5 carat diamond will look bigger than a 3 carat. Certainly carat weight and size are closely related. But when comparing stones that are closer in carat weight, you will find that sometimes the stone with the smaller weight will have a bigger look. The key is in looking at the millimeter dimensions.
As beauty in diamonds always does, it all comes back to the quality of the cut. A well-cut diamond will not only be brilliant and bright, but it will have a larger size appearance than other lesser-cut stones of the same weight. When properly cut, a diamond will not be too deep and will not have too much weight in the girdle or other areas of the stone that add to the carat weight on the scale but not at all to the visual size appearance. At Kwiat, we refer to this as “the weight being in the right place.” A beautifully cut 2 carat stone will look larger than a poorly cut 2.5 carat diamond because in the poorly cut stone, the weight is in the wrong places where you can’t actually see it. When looking at diamonds, pay close attention to the millimeter dimensions as well as the carat weights, and don’t assume that a higher weight automatically means a bigger look. Greater carat weight is only worth paying for when it adds to the beauty and visual size appearance of the stone.
