By Rachel Ragland
First we have to get an idea of what exactly a carat is. Here is a good analogy: just like there are 100 pennies in one dollar, there are 100 points in one carat (the abbreviation for carat is ct). This means that if you're looking for a half carat (.50ct) diamond you can also say a 50 point diamond. Diamonds aren't always cut in such even increments though. For example, in the market you'll also find 22 point diamonds (.22ct) or ones that are just shy of a full carat like 97 points (.97ct).
Swarovski crystal set in a rich finish makes these earrings a “Double Knockout”!
Available in a rich rhodium finish with Swarovski's clear crystals or a black hematite finish with Swarovski's black diamond and jet hematite crystals.
Earrings with 14K gold posts or adjustable clips
Nickel and lead free.
So, back to the scenario mentioned at the beginning, the reason that one diamond might look smaller than the other, even though they both weigh exactly the same, is because of the cut of the diamond. The cut is referring to the proportion of the angles of the diamond. If you were to visualize cutting the diamond in half from the top to the bottom, the angles on one side should mirror the angles on the other. Having them directly opposite each other allows the light to bounce back and forth in the diamond. Not all diamonds have perfectly proportioned angles and is the reason for the visual size difference when viewed from above. A diamond that looks smaller from the top view will have most of it's weight towards the bottom where the point is and is called a deep cut. You can also have a diamond that is a shallow cut and looks larger from the top view than it's supposed to. This is because the weight that was supposed to be in the bottom has been transferred to the top giving it a larger surface appearance. It's always best to find one that has at least a good cut or better. The reason is because the angles of shallow and deep cuts don't allow the light to play inside of the diamond and will give it a dull look. The idea of buying one that looks bigger than it should is attractive, but if you're going to be spending thousand of dollars on it you should make sure it does what it's supposed to: sparkle!
As you start shopping for an engagement ring at different jewelery stores you'll be asked what size of a diamond you're looking at purchasing. This question is a little misleading because they're actually referring to the weight as opposed to the visual size. For example, if you tell them you want a one carat and they pull out two different diamonds that each weigh exactly one carat for you to compare, you might notice that one of them looks smaller than the other when viewed from above. Here is why:
Very small diamonds that are used on the sides of rings or in fashion pendants like necklaces, earrings, etc. are called melee diamonds. These are usually 10 points or less (.10ct or less). This is an industry term that is usually only used by jewelers and not the common consumer.
If you're shopping for a piece of jewelery with multiple diamonds on it, you'll see on the tag the letters ctw. This stands for total carat weight. For example, if there are 5 diamonds on the piece and they each weigh 10 points (.10ct), the piece would be marked .50ctw (5 x .10 = .50).
Another thing you should know is that the larger the diamond, the more rare it is. So if you happen to be looking at 2 different bracelets and each one has 2 carats of diamonds, one might be hundreds of dollars more than the other. The reason is usually because one might have 40 diamonds weighing .05 (five points) each totaling 2cts and the other only has 20 diamonds weighing .10 (10 points) each. Because a .10ct diamond is more rare than a .05ct, the price of the bracelet with the 10 pointers will be more than the other even thought they have the exact same total carat weight (ctw).
Double Knockout
$129.99
Quantity:
Swarovski crystal set in a rich finish makes these earrings a “Double Knockout”!
Available in a rich rhodium finish with Swarovski's clear crystals or a black hematite finish with Swarovski's black diamond and jet hematite crystals.
Earrings with 14K gold posts or adjustable clips
Nickel and lead free.
So, back to the scenario mentioned at the beginning, the reason that one diamond might look smaller than the other, even though they both weigh exactly the same, is because of the cut of the diamond. The cut is referring to the proportion of the angles of the diamond. If you were to visualize cutting the diamond in half from the top to the bottom, the angles on one side should mirror the angles on the other. Having them directly opposite each other allows the light to bounce back and forth in the diamond. Not all diamonds have perfectly proportioned angles and is the reason for the visual size difference when viewed from above. A diamond that looks smaller from the top view will have most of it's weight towards the bottom where the point is and is called a deep cut. You can also have a diamond that is a shallow cut and looks larger from the top view than it's supposed to. This is because the weight that was supposed to be in the bottom has been transferred to the top giving it a larger surface appearance. It's always best to find one that has at least a good cut or better. The reason is because the angles of shallow and deep cuts don't allow the light to play inside of the diamond and will give it a dull look. The idea of buying one that looks bigger than it should is attractive, but if you're going to be spending thousand of dollars on it you should make sure it does what it's supposed to: sparkle!
Rachel Ragland has written multiple articles for Infinity Moving. They are Austin Movers servicing the metro area and surrounding cities. http://www.infinitymovingtx.com
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