When we look at the term "carat", we see that it is mainly associated with jewellery, diamonds and other jewellery. But do we know what carat actually means?
By the way, how do we use it to determine the purity of gemstones and also gold? In this blog, we take a closer look at the world of carats, hoping to give you a complete picture of what it is and how it all works.
The origin of the word 'carat'
Before we dive into the technical aspect, let's take a look at the origin of the word. The origin of the word carat is kerátion and it comes from ancient Greece. Indeed, this term refers to seeds of the carob tree, of which it was thought that these seeds would have the same weight at all times. In ancient times, these seeds were used as a standard measure for weighing gold and precious stones.
The concept was later adopted by various civilisations, and even in the Middle Ages, a carat became a standard unit for measuring gems and gold. The overall idea was simple: Everyone believed that seeds had a consistent weight, so this would always provide an accurate weighing of gold and other gemstones. Of course, we no longer measure with these seeds in modern times, but we still use the principle of this on a daily basis. In fact, it is an incredibly crucial part of the gems and also jewellery industry.
Carat as a unit for gemstones
These days, when we buy a gemstone or jewellery, we see a number followed by ct. The ct in this case is another word or abbreviation for carat. Today, this is still the way to measure gemstones such as diamonds, opals and also gold. It is also easy because 1 carat equals 200 milligrams, or 0.2 grams. This seems incredibly small, but in the world of gemstones it can make an incredible difference. A small difference in weight and therefore carat can have an incredible impact on the price of a gemstone.
We also know that carat is just one of the many components or factors that determine the value of a gemstone. Remember, though, that it is the easiest factor regarding determining the value of an opal. This therefore makes it an incredibly important indicator.
How carats are measured in gemstones
When we weigh gemstones such as diamonds and therefore measure them, the weight is measured incredibly accurately. This is even down to the two decimal places. Why do we do this? Diamonds are so rare, sought-after and precious that even a tenth of a carat can make a huge difference in price. Consider that a diamond of 0.99 carats is worth considerably less than a diamond of 1 carat. We can see here that while the weights are basically negligible, it eats into the price considerably.
To measure gemstones at all, we use only the most sensitive scales, which are specially designed for just this purpose. These scales are always digital and can weigh to four decimal places. This ensures that no errors are made in estimating the value of a stone.
Why carat weight matters
Weight is key with a gemstone at all times, because it has a direct effect on its rarity and especially its value. What we know about gemstones is that the bigger the stone is, the rarer it is. Of course, this will also affect its overall price. The reason larger stones are more valuable is because they have been extracted from the ground with utmost care. Normally something does crumble, so if you get it out in its entirety then you are dealing with a rare moment.
What we should not forget is that a gemstone such as a diamond or opal that is exactly at one carat or higher is already a lot more important and prestigious on a psychological level than the gemstones below it. This also shows that the price of the heavier gems more often shoots out of the roof and is completely disproportionate in proportion.
Carats in gold
While we know that carat is an incredibly big concept when weighing gemstones, funnily enough with gold it has a completely different meaning. When we bring the terms gold and carat together, we see that it mainly refers to the purity of the gold. What we know is that gold is considered pure when it ticks 24 carats. If gold gets a lower carat, it is because it has been mixed with other metals, such as for example: copper or silver.
What does carat mean in gold?
What does carat actually mean, in the case of gold? We've already mentioned this briefly, of course, but to make it a little clearer, we'd like to explain it a little more in depth. Here, carat content of gold is actually expressed as a fraction of 24 parts. This means that if you have a piece of gold that is 18 carats, it consists of 18 parts of pure gold and the remaining 6 parts of other metals. This means that the gold is 75% pure.
The most common carat levels for gold jewellery are:
- 24 carat (24K): This is pure gold, or 99.9% pure. However, pure gold is very soft and fragile, making it less suitable for jewellery worn daily.
- 18 carat (18K): This is 75% pure gold and is often used for luxury jewellery as it still has a high gold content, but is harder than 24-carat gold.
- 14 carat (14K): This is 58.3% pure gold and is one of the most popular choices for gold jewellery because it offers a good balance between durability and purity.
- 9 carat (9K): This contains only 37.5% pure gold and is especially widely used in some European countries. It is less valuable than 18K or 14K, but stronger and more resistant to wear.
Why is gold mixed?
As we mentioned earlier, gold that is 24 carats is incredibly soft. So it is not very suitable for jewellery that is worn daily. This is therefore the reason why we mix gold with other metals. Not so much to reduce the price but also to make the gold stronger. This is an alloying method that allows jewellery to last longer and is also less prone to damage.
When we add other metals to gold we see that the colour of the gold can also change, for example, white gold is an alloy of gold and metals such as nickel and or palladium. Rose gold again has copper and gives a warm and especially pink hue.
How carat value affects price
When we look at gemstones, we know that the price is mainly determined by the carat value, this also applies to gold by the way. The higher the carat the more expensive the gemstone or gold. This is because there is more pure gold in the jewellery. Around the world, the price of gold is determined by its weight and purity. Therefore, we need to know for ourselves how many carats something is before we sell it. This is because you can't be tricked that way.
How carat affects value
Now that we know what carat means in both gemstones and gold, let's look at how carat can affect the value of a piece of jewellery.
Valuation of gemstones
When we look at carat weight and also value of the gemstone, we see that this is just one of the four factors that determine the value. Here, the other factors are mainly colour, purity and also cut of the stone. All this together is known as the 4 Cs of gemstone appreciation...:
- Carat (Carat): The weight of the stone.
- Colour (Color): The hue of the diamond, with completely colourless diamonds being the most valuable.
- Purity (Clarity): How free the diamond is from inclusions or impurities.
- Cut (Cut): How well the diamond is cut, which affects the brilliance and appearance of the stone.
Here, by the way, the opposite of what we said earlier applies, where a gemstone that is bigger is worth more. Here, a large gemstone with a much lesser purity and colour can be worth much less than a small gemstone with a beautiful purity and colour. Therefore, when buying gemstones, especially diamonds, you always want to keep in mind the four Cs and not just focus on the carat weight.
Valuation of gold
When we look at the carat value of gold, we now know that it is a direct indication of its purity, and also its price. I think we all know that 24-carat gold is the most expensive gold per gram because it is completely pure. With gold, when the carat value drops, we see that the price per gram also drops tremendously. This is because there are many more base metals present.
Yet there are also other factors that influence the price of gold jewellery, just think about craftsmanship, brand and also the demand for designs and styles. There is a large group of people who prefer 18-carat or even 14-carat gold, for example, because it is more durable. It doesn't matter here that it is worth less than 24-carat gold it holds up a lot better and there is a smaller chance of being able to break down.
Frequently asked questions about carat
Looking at the topic carat we see that there are an awful lot of questions regarding this topic, let's take a brief look at the most frequently asked questions together.
Is carat the same as karat in gold and carat in gemstones?
We completely understand the confusion in this, it's funny how the words are so incredibly identical in this case. However, they both mean something different, because when we look at precious stones, we see that carat refers to the weight of the stone, while in the case of gold, carat mainly refers to its purity. We need to remember well and also understand the context in which it is used.
Can the carat content of gold change?
You certainly can, the carat content of gold changes mainly when metals are added to or taken off the gold. So the value is entirely in the alloy of the gold and the other metals. However, the carat cannot change with gold unless you melt it with other compositions.
How do I know how many carats my gold jewellery is?
When looking at gold jewellery, we can happily say that the carat content is often applied to the jewellery itself by means of a stamp. Think 18K or 750, for example. This basically means nothing other than that the jewellery is 18 carats or 75% pure gold. If you have doubts about the carat, you can ask a jeweller to test a piece of jewellery for you.
Conclusion
We at Megalodontand.nl understand better than anyone how incredibly versatile carat actually is and how incredibly important it is within our jewellery, gemstones and also gold sector. Where one side is about weight, the other side is about purity. By the way, it doesn't matter whether you buy a diamond or a gold piece of jewellery, when you also understand carat and understand what carat means, you always have the ability to make an informed choice. We can see that carat has played a huge role in determining the value of precious materials throughout history. So we will also see that carat will always be around, when it comes to the world of jewellery. Whether you are looking for a brilliant one-carat diamond or a stunning 18-carat gold jewellery piece, knowing about carat will give you the tools to choose your jewellery with confidence.