General Terms

Source of the Word Diamond

The word “diamond” originates from the Greek word “Adamas,” meaning invincible. This refers to the exceptional hardness of the material.

Source of the Word Carat

The term “Carat,” used to describe a diamond’s weight, originates from the Ceratonia Siliqua, also known as the Carob Tree.
Before the invention of scales and standardized units of mass, diamond traders compared the weight of gemstones to the seeds of the carob tree. Each carob seed was thought to weigh approximately 0.20 grams (or 200 milligrams), which helped establish the weight measurement system for diamonds.

Carat vs. Karat

Though “Carat” and “Karat” are both terms used in the jewelry and geology worlds, they have distinct meanings:

  • Carat: A unit of mass that measures the weight of diamonds and gemstones. One carat equals 200 milligrams or 0.2 grams.
  • Karat: A term that describes the purity of gold. One karat represents 1/24th of a whole; thus, 24-karat gold is pure gold.
    Since pure gold is soft, it is often mixed with other metals to create a durable and more affordable alloy.

Diamond Star in the Sky

A star named Lucy may appear to be an ordinary white dwarf, but it is far more fascinating. White dwarfs form when a star exhausts its nuclear fuel and dies, leaving behind a hot cinder primarily composed of carbon and oxygen, surrounded by a thin layer of hydrogen and helium gases.
In 1995, scientists used asteroseismology (stellar seismology) to analyze Lucy’s frequency spectra and composition. Their research revealed that 90% of Lucy’s mass had crystallized. Since Lucy is mostly carbon, she is essentially the biggest diamond ever discovered!

Why Does the GIA Color Grade Start with D?

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) grading scale begins with the letter D and continues through Z, representing a range from colorless to increasingly tinted diamonds.
Before this system, gemstone classification used various inconsistent methods involving letters, Arabic numerals (e.g., 0, 1, 2, 3), and Roman numerals (e.g., I, II, III). These inconsistencies led to confusion. When the GIA created its own scale, they deliberately started with D—a letter not traditionally associated with top quality—to establish a clear and neutral starting point.