What are Karats & Carats?
Michael Barbera
What are Karats and Carats?
In a previous post I explained the differences between hallmarks and trademarks. We learned that hallmarks are used in some countries to legally certify the precious metal content of a particular item. Precious metals hallmarks are specifically targeted to gold, silver, and platinum and may include the location and date as well as a maker’s mark. Trademarks, used in the United States, also address precious metal content in items sold to consumers. Karat is based on the percentage of a precious metal in relationship to the alloys that are used to strengthen or color the precious metal in question.
The term carat is used to describe the weight of individual gems. Total weight, or total carat weight, refers to the combined weight of all like gems in a particular piece of jewelry. Carat weight is determined using the metric term milligram. 200 milligrams are equal to 1 carat. Why? In ancient times, traders needed a reliably consistent unit of measurement when bartering or purchasing gems. Some traders used rice grains, wheat grains, or carob seeds, depending on where they lived in the world. Because the weight of one carob or seed was essentially the same as any other carob or seed, traders felt confident using this unit of measurement wherever they found themselves in their travels. By the way, carob is an Arabic name for the seed, quirat. In future posts, we’ll learn why carat weight is only one consideration in the actual value of a gem. I hope you have enjoyed this post. Here are some links you might find helpful.
http://m.wisegeek.org/what-is-the-difference-between-a-carat-and-a-karat.htm and
http://www.abazias.com/DiamondEducation/articles/History-of-the-Carat.asp
Have a great day.