| Whether the word 'carat' comes from an African word meaning seed or from a Greek word meaning bean kernel is unknown. What is clear is that diamonds are measured in carats. One fifth of a gram equals one carat. If 454 grams equal a pound, or a thousand carats, then your weight in diamonds is worth a king's ransom indeed.
Larger diamonds, always rarer than smaller ones, are not simply priced proportionately more. Owing to its rarity, a two-carat diamond will cost more than two one-carat stones of equal quality. Small diamonds are weighed in "points" equal to 1/100 of a carat and priced accordingly.
This is the weight of a diamond measured in carats. One carat is divided into 100 "points," so that a diamond of 75 points weights .75 ct. The carat-weight of a diamond is the easiest measurement to determine. Most importantly, two diamonds can be of equal carat-weight, but their value can differ greatly due to their cut, color, and clarity.
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