Are diamond carats and gold karats the same?
No. Gold karats are a gauge of purity of the metal, while diamond carats are a measure of gem weight. Most gold in jewelry is an alloy, and falls into one of six grades of purity: 999 fine, 999 parts per thousand or essentially pure gold. 990 fine, or 24 karat gold 916 fine, or 22-karat gold 750 fine, or 18 karat gold 585 fine, or 14 karat gold 375 fine, or 9 karat gold A variety of alloying metal combinations may be used. Platinum jewelry is commonly stamped 950 Plat Irid, indicating 950 parts platinum and 50 parts iridium. A diamond carat is equal to .20 grams. A carat is broken down into 100 “points.” 10 points is equivalent to 1/10th carat.
