Let's talk about a pair of terms that has been giving the general public, not just the book girlies, trouble. The terms "karat" and "carat" are often mistakenly used interchangeably. However, though they are both terms used in the jewelry industry, they actually refer to two different units of measurement.
Karat
The term karat is used in reference to gold only. It is a unit of measurement for the purity of gold.
- A piece of jewelry that consists of 24 karat gold is made of 99.9% pure gold. However, this would be considered too soft for everyday wear.
- 22 karat gold consists of 91.6% gold. It is considered stronger with significant purity.
- 18 karat gold is made of 75% gold, making it durable for everyday wear.
- 14 karat gold is made of 58.3% gold and is more commonly purchased due to its durability and affordability.
- 10 karat gold is the lowest purity at 41.7% gold, which is the lowest legal karat in the U. S. It's the "cheapest" gold but the most durable.
Carat
The term carat is used in reference to gemstones. It is a unit of measurement for the weight of gemstones. One carat is the equivalent of 200 milligrams. This does not refer to the purity or clarity of the gemstone. It is literally the weight of the stone when placed on a scale. Two stones of the same weight or carat could have different clarity grades, which would mean different monetary values. The largest diamond in the world was the 3,106 carat Cullinan Diamond, discovered in 1905 in Cullinan, South Africa. The carat of this diamond is its weight when placed on a scale--it weighs 3,106 carats or 621.2 grams.
Did this help? So now we can make sure we get those karats and carats right when our thugs, savages, and menaces head out for the club or drop to one knee for our good girls, baddies, and baby mommas!