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By Reviewed By Andreas Zabczyk

Gemstone Carat Weight

When it comes to purchasing gemstones, one of the most important factors to consider is carat weight. Gemstones are measured in metric carats, with one carat being equivalent to 0.2 grams, approximately the weight of a paperclip. It is important not to confuse carat with karat, which pertains to gold purity, such as "18K gold." Similar to how a dollar is divided into 100 pennies, a carat is divided into 100 points.  

Gemstone carat weight is one of the key factors in determining the value and size of a gemstone, but it’s often misunderstood. While many people focus on the carat weight alone, it’s important to understand how it relates to the overall appearance and quality of a gemstone.  

Gemstone weight Scale
Gemstone Carat Weight Scale

The English word carat comes from the Greek word for keration ('little horn'), referring to the shape of the seedpods of the carob tree. These seeds are small and uniform in weight; therefore, they were a standard for weighing gemstones in early times.

Around 1920, the metric carat was adopted as an international standard. One carat equals a fifth of a gram (0.20 grams), so there are five carats to the gram.

Tavernier's Law

Generally, as a gemstone's carat weight increases, so does the price per carat. A fun way to look at stone value is the following: Since the late 14th century there has been a law for diamonds that is known as the 'Indian Law' or 'Tavernier's Law':

Weight² x C = Price per stone

The following shows how the price of a diamond might increase with this formula applied to a $1000 a carat base price.
Weight Total Stone Price
1ct $1000
2ct $4000
3ct $9000
4ct $16,000
5ct $25,000
10ct $100,000

However, in the real world, pricing is not this simple, even for diamonds. Other qualities such as color or clarity will also greatly affect the price of gemstones. With colored gemstones, this carat law is even more muddled and unrealistic.

For example, a high quality ruby of three carats may be more valuable and rarer than a ruby of over 200 carats, as huge rubies are common, but full of serious inclusions. These giant specimens are impossible to cut into fine stones because of their flaws; therefore, their value is very low.

Also, remember that size and weight are different. Size refers to the physical space or volume that a stone occupies, while weight refers to the gravitational pull of the object. For example, one cubic millimeter of sapphire will be twice as heavy as one cubic millimeter of opal because the sapphire's specific gravity is twice that of opal.

Please see our page on calibrated sizes for more information.
Enlarged Gemstone Image