Carat Preservation and Certification

"Carat" is a unit of weight used to measure gem size. While some jewels are abundant in larger sizes, this isn’t true for diamonds. At the same time, many diamond cuts require weight to be sacrificed in order to achieve ideal symmetry, proportion and brilliance. Depending on the cut, weight retention may be as little as fifty percent. The effects of finding a balance between weight and cut may be reflected in the stone’s certification.

Diamonds form under extreme conditions deep beneath the earth, which may limit their size. Their delivery to the crust may also influence mass. While larger diamonds tend to be in higher demand, they aren’t as common. This leads to a dramatic increase of value, where two half carat diamonds may be more affordable than a single carat jewel. There’s also the concept of magic sizes, where a diamond drastically jumps in price at size like a quarter carat, half carat, three quarter carats and so on.

To ensure accurate measurements, diamonds are weighed on sensitive scales. These devices measure diamonds to the hundred thousandth of a carat, and require special care to maintain precision. This includes annual servicing, making sure the scales sit on a level surface, and placing the machines out of direct sunlight, which may lead to air currents that skew the reading.

There are multiple approaches to cutting a diamond to promote weight retention. Step cut and mixed cut diamonds are often faceted in a way that preserves about eighty percent of the original rough. Round brilliant cut diamonds are more challenging, as they usually sacrifice about half of their rough to achieve their desired brilliance.

There are several approaches in helping round brilliant cut diamonds retain weight. One is to create a thicker girdle, a portion of the stone which makes up the outer perimeter. While guidelines can be strict about how to shape the top and bottom of a diamond, suggestions on how to cut a girdle can be less tringent. Giving a girdle moderate thickness as opposed to a knife’s edge may push the stone past a magic size. Other methods may include leaving an extra facet on the stone rather than polishing it away, or leaving a portion of the rough’s surface on the finished jewel.

When round brilliant cut diamonds are evaluated, carat, cut, and clarity are examined. Diamonds are weighed and rounded to the hundredth of a carat, and possible weight retention tricks may influence the cut and clarity grades. For example, an overly thick girdle may influence a jewel’s cut grade. Quirks like extra facets or naturals are noted as clarity characteristics.

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