LIGHT CARAT WEIGHT DIAMONDS

Light Carat Weights are exactly what they sound like. They are Carat Weights on the lighter side.

It’s like a light lunch… you don’t get the full lunch, just a good portion of it. :)

A One Carat Diamond for example, is 1.00 Carats (100 Points) right on the dot. But most Diamonds are NOT right on the dot, they will vary up or down a couple of points. So a One Carat usually ends up being: 1.02, 1.01, 1.05, 95 Points and so on…

Hitting 1.00 exactly is not an easy task. The Diamond Quality plays a huge role in how a Diamond is Cut.

Diamond Cutters try to preserve as much Carat Weight as they can, and make as much money on the Diamond as possible. This is why Cuts will vary and Carat Weights will shift.

So a One Carat Diamond is generally around the One Carat Mark. Same with 3/4 Carats (75 Points). These will be 72, 73, 78 Points. Half Carats (50 Points) will range from 43 – 57 Points.

Carat Weight will Vary

Usually Diamonds will vary by as much as 7 points one way or the other. So a One Carat Diamond really could be a 93 Point Diamond or a 1.07. This 93 Point Diamond (or any Carat Weight 7 Points under 100) will be considered a Light Carat. It’s on the light side of things.

The FTC allows Carat Weights to vary by this much because every Diamond is different, scales are not perfect (neither are humans), and hitting a Carat Weight right on the nose is a very difficult chore.

Picture a roomful of people. How many of these people do you think would weight exactly 150 lbs? (not 152 or 149). Maybe 1? Possibly 2? You see how finding the exact weight isn’t easy?

So now that we know Diamonds have this little leeway, how does it affect the look of a stone?

Visual Difference

Being up or down a couple of Points is not an obvious difference. In fact, you usually have to be off by at least 10 or even 20 points in order to see a visual difference.

This is great because a 95 Point Diamond will look just like a 100 Point Diamond (if everything else is the same).

It’s like throwing 95 pennies on the floor and asking someone if there are 95 pennies or 100 pennies? They wouldn’t be able to tell.

Visually it’s too close. They may guess, but unless you told them that it was under a few, they’d never know.

So Diamonds under the mark are light. Diamonds a couple of points under a Half Carat are called Light Halfs!

What does all this matter?

Is there a Reason to Buy Light Carat Weights?

YES! and that’s a BIG YES!

It all comes down to Price!

Diamonds that are “SHY” of the mark are Cheaper!

And sometimes they are much, much cheaper.

For once you hit that official milestone Carat Weight, Diamond Prices jump, but keeping it just under saves you a lot of money.

Compare these 6 Diamonds below… All great stones, but the shy ones are cheaper!

Take a look at the stats of these stones below…

CARAT WEIGHT, CLARITY, COLOR, CUT, CERTIFIED	PRICE	VIEW
.45, VS1, E, PREMIUM, GIA	$1,420	VIEW
.50, VS1, E, PREMIUM, GIA	$2,290	VIEW

Now let’s take a look at bigger Diamonds. We’ll jump up into 3/4 Carat Diamonds…

You see how you pay more for just a couple of points?

CARAT WEIGHT, CLARITY, COLOR, CUT, CERTIFIED	PRICE	VIEW
.71, SI1, D, PREMIUM, GIA	$3,320	VIEW
.75, SI1, D, PREMIUM, GIA	$4,120	VIEW

Moving on up into the BIG Diamonds, One Carats, you’ll see a $1450 difference in price for something that you probably can’t see with the naked eye.

Here’s the Diamond info and the prices of these stones…

CARAT WEIGHT, CLARITY, COLOR, CUT, CERTIFIED	PRICE	VIEW
.93, SI1, F, PREMIUM, GIA	$6,410	VIEW
1.00, SI1, F, PREMIUM, GIA	$7,860	VIEW

P.S. Just for kicks, look what dropping just one more Point does to the price of these other two stones…

CARAT WEIGHT, CLARITY, COLOR, CUT, CERTIFIED	PRICE	VIEW
.92, VS2, E, PREMIUM, GIA	$8,580	VIEW
1.01, VS2, E, PREMIUM, GIA	$13,810	VIEW

That’s a huge difference of $5,230!!! That’s some pocket change. :)

Knowing you’re buying a Light Carat and saving some greenbacks is one thing, but if you don’t know this is the case, then that’s another issue.

Deceiving Carat Weights

If you went into a Jewelry Store and asked them for a One Carat Diamond and they showed you a 96 Point Diamond instead, it would almost certainly be cheaper. You’d think you were getting a much better deal at this Jeweler than the one up the street with the much heftier price tag.

So unless you actually knew it was 96 Points and shopped and compared 96 Point Diamonds, you’d really never know who was giving you the better deal.

They may say “Oh yes, this is a One Carat Diamond” and it may be true (you can call a Diamond within 7 points a One Carat Diamond), but you aren’t getting the full 100 Points. You’re getting less.

If you buy a Shy Diamond to Save Money, then it’s an Awesome Deal. As long as you understand that it’s a little less Carat Weight and are happy with it, all is good.

But if you thought you were buying a 1.00 Carat Diamond and ended up with less, then you only have yourself to blame.

Look at the Carat Weights

This is why it’s important to view the actual Diamond Carat Weight on the tag, and then look at the Diamond Certificate (Don’t buy it if it’s not Certified!). Some stores even stamp the Carat Weight right on the inside of the ring.

Personally, I advise buying Carat Weights on the light side (unless she specifically says “BUY ME A ONE CARAT“). Why not save money for a Diamond that looks just as big?

Who would ever know the difference? No one! Unless you told them.

The same is true for all Carat Weights. Check them out. You’ll see.

Jewelry Store Catalogs

If you look at Jeweler’s Catalogs, be careful. You’ll always see rings listed with Approx. Carat Weights (i.e. .50 Carat*). Look at what the fine print on the back of the catalog tells you. Approximate Weights will vary. Usually it states what the variance is (.50 Carat can be between .43 and .57…). (I’ve seen some that vary WAY more than that!

So if you want a .50 Carat, check the tag and make sure it is that Carat Weight. If it’s less, see if they have one in stock that does have more Carat Weight to it.

Because Buying on the Light Side Should Save you Money. Especially when you’re Buying a Single Diamond Solitaire.

If you want a One Carat (as all Women Dream of), buy a 95 Point Diamond instead and put your money into other things like the mounting, or a better Diamond Cut, Diamond Color, or Diamond Clarity.

A couple Points won’t be a big visual difference (normally never – unless one has a really bad Cut, like a Spread Stone or a Deep Stone), but it does make a big difference in your wallet.

Enjoy the Discount!

Prices and Diamonds come from James Allen. One of the biggest and best Diamond Jewelers on the net. :)