Our second topic on the 5 C's of diamonds is carat. So, what exactly is carat? It is the unit of measurement used to weigh diamonds and precious stones. The word "carat" is derived from the word carob - because carob seeds were used in ancient times to balance scales. Carob seeds are so uniform in size and shape, that even modern instruments are unable to detect more than three one-thousandths of a difference in weight between them. The term "carat" should not be confused with "karat," which is used to measure the purity of gold.

The weight of diamond is always measured in carats, but can also be expressed in "points." Essentially, there are "100" points in a carat, so that a half-carat diamond may be described as a .50 "point" diamond. Each carat is roughly equivalent to 0.2 grams. Many people believe that the bigger the diamond, the bigger its carat weight - but that is not necessarily true. There are instances wherein a smaller diamond has a larger carat weight than a diamond of a larger size. This has to do with the density of the stone. However, given two diamonds with the same color and clarity, the one with the largest carat weight will be the most valuable. In general, the larger the carat weight, the more expensive the diamond.

At Ralph Mueller & Associates, we specialize in the purchase of diamonds one carat or larger. However, we still accept diamonds as small as half carat if the diamond is of high quality (the other 4 C's). When it comes to buying and selling diamonds in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Chandler, Tempe, Tucson, or anywhere in Arizona or the United States, Ralph Mueller & Associates offers top dollar for your used diamonds.