A Carat Is Not A Karat
The jumble of industry specific terms that a consumer encounters while shopping for engagement rings, eternity rings and other jewelry can make the search for the perfect piece seem somewhat daunting. But perhaps one of the most common questions that arise is what the difference between a carat and a karat is. Although these two terms are pronounced the same and they are both used in the jewelry industry, they actually have different meanings. Generally speaking, the karat is a unit of purity, while a carat is a unit of weight used to describe gemstones. A very common mistake is using the terms interchangeably, under the assumption that "a carat is a karat is a carat." Most consumers have probably heard the term karat in reference to gold.
The karat is often represented by the abbreviation "k." or "kt." Due to the softness of gold when compared to other metals, it is usually mixed with another metal or metals in order to create more durable and less expensive jewelry. So, one karat represents 1/24th the whole, 24 karat gold is pure gold, and any karat designation less than 24 conveys that the gold is combined with other metals, creating an alloy. On the other hand, a carat - usually abbreviated with "c." or "ct." - is a unit used to measure the weight of diamonds as well as other gems. One carat is 200 milligrams, or one fifth of a gram. It must be noted, though, that the carat designation refers to the weight of a gem, not its physical size. So, one carat of a denser gemstone would appear smaller than one carat of a less dense stone. The terms of carat and karat are believed to be derived from the carob bean, which is a seed pod exhibiting such consistent weight that it was historically used to measure the weight of gemstones.
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