 Carat Weight
 Although
commonly thought to refer to the actual size of a diamond, a carat is a standard
unit of measure that defines the weight of a diamond. The word carat originated
from the carob tree or ceratonia siliqua. The tiny seeds of this tree are well known
for their uniformity and consistent weight.
Traditionally diamonds and gemstones were weighed against these seeds until the
system was standardized, and one carat was fixed at 0.2 grams or 200 milligrams.
Carat sizes are also expressed as "points", with a one carat diamond equalling 100
points.
A diamond weighing one quarter of a carat can also be described as weighing 25 points
or 0.25 carats. Points are generally not used to describe weights over one carat.
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