Most people are sold "
Light" Carat Diamonds and
don't even know they exist.
The fact is, you may be buying a certain Carat Weight, and come to find out, it's not what you thought you were buying... It's actually "smaller" than what you thought!
Did you get ripped off by the Jewelry Store? Did the Jeweler lie to you? Maybe, maybe not. Let's take a look...
It's a Half Carat!
You walk into a Jewelry Store searching for a Half-Carat Diamond. The Salesperson pulls one out of the case and hands it to you. He tells you the Color and Clarity of the Diamond, then proceeds to tell you the Carat Weight. "It's a Half Carat".
But is it?
If it's a Half Carat, which is .50 Points, then why does the tag say .44 Points???
If it's .06 Points shy of a Half Carat, why are they still calling it a Half Carat? Is this legal? Are they trying to pull a fast one on you?
Here's the truth!
YES, it is legal!
And it happens all the time. That's because Jewelry Standards allow it! Did you ever see an Ad in the Newspaper for a Diamond Ring that says "Half Carat" with an asterisk next to it that states "Approximate Carat Weight"? Take a look next time. It's there!
Diamonds are Not Perfect in Weight
They're like people, some are tall and thin, others are short and fat. No two Diamonds are alike. Diamond weight fluctuates. It's very rare to get a Diamond that's exactly dead on a particular Carat Weight like a Half Carat.
If the Diamond Cutters cut every single Diamond with exact Carat Weights, like .50 Points, .75 Points and 1.00 Points, they'd be disrupting the whole Jewelry Industry, they'd be changing the Quality of the Diamonds, and changing the entire Pricing Structure.
That .44 Diamond may be a VVS Clarity now, but if you didn't cut away those .06 Points, you'd probably see lots of black inclusions around the stone's edge, which would lower its Clarity rating down to an I Clarity Diamond (The lowest Clarity available) and turn it into an ugly stone. Just a couple points could totally change what the Diamond Grade is.
That Sucks!
Maximize Profits
Diamond Cutters scrutinize Diamonds to maximize the Diamond's quality. They cut the stone to get the best possible Clarity, while still getting as much Diamond as they can from the rough rock. If the Diamond ends up being a little bit smaller in the process, then it's a good deal.
Why leave bad inclusions in?
If you can cut them out, do it! It makes the Diamond look better, and it makes it more valuable.
Plus, a couple points aren't going to matter that much anyway.
It's all in good business.
So what is the actual Leeway on Diamond Carat Weights? Read on...
