Carat Vs. Karat: What’s the Difference?

In the jewellery industry, you might well see the terms ‘carat’ and ‘karat’ being used to describe the purity of gold or the weight of diamonds and gemstones. But don’t they mean the same thing with a different spelling? The answer might surprise you. ‘Carat’ and ‘karat’ mean two different things, so what is the difference between them? In this article, we’ll be telling you what ‘carat’ and ‘karat’ mean, as well as how they differ. So, what’s the difference between ‘carat’ and ‘karat’? Let’s take a closer look:

What is a carat?

It’s a common misconception that ‘carat’ is used to describe diamond size or dimension, but it’s actually used to indicate diamond or gemstone weight instead. Usually, one carat is a unit of mass equal to 200mg. In addition, ‘carat’ can also be used to describe the purity of gold, with 24-carat gold being pure gold. The lower the carat value, the more it indicates the presence of other metals, therefore decreasing the gold purity. You might also see the term ‘carat’ being abbreviated to ‘ct’. But where does the term ‘carat’ come from?

‘Carat’ derives from the Ancient Greek word for ‘carob seed’. Carob beans were once used to measure very small weights, including pure gold coins. Traditionally, carob seeds varied little in weight when compared to other species of seeds, hence why they were used in this capacity. However, we now know that carob seeds actually do vary considerably in weight. The Ancient Greeks would have struck up a raw deal if the carob seeds didn’t weigh in their favour.

What is a karat?

‘Karat’ is more commonly used to describe the purity of gold. While you can use ‘carat’ and ‘karat’ interchangeably, ‘karat’ is a term used most often in the context of gold. 24 karats indicates pure gold, which is soft. This is why 24-karat gold jewellery isn’t normally worn daily and is very expensive. 

As such, lower karat gold is made available to jewellery lovers. The lower the karat, the stronger the gold is. This is because lower karat gold is less pure and has been mixed with other alloys in order to maximise its strength and durability. Typically, 18, 14 and 10-karat gold is mixed with, most commonly, copper, nickel and silver. The term ‘karat’ can be abbreviated to ‘kt’. 

What’s the difference between a carat & a karat?

You will often see ‘carat’ and ‘karat’ used in the same context, but there is a definite difference between the two terms. ‘Carat’ can be used in the context of gold, diamonds and gemstones. However, it will most commonly be used to describe the weight of diamonds and gemstones rather than gold. 

While ‘carat’ can be used to refer to both the weight of diamonds and the purity of gold, the term ‘karat’ can’t be used as liberally in the jewellery industry. The term ‘karat’ can only be used to describe the purity of gold and should not be used in the context of diamonds or gemstones.

The origins of carat & karat

‘Carat’ is an older term that was used to describe both the weight of diamonds and the purity of gold. However, the term ‘karat’ was introduced later to present a clear distinction between the weight of diamonds and the purity of gold. However, not every country in the world uses the term ‘karat’. In countries like the United Kingdom and Australia, ‘carat’ is used interchangeably to describe both the weight of diamonds and the purity of gold. 

While you might see the term ‘karat’ being used in these countries, it will never be used to describe the weight of diamonds or gemstones, only the purity of gold. This is the same in countries like the US. ‘Karat’ is always used to describe the purity of gold and never to describe the weight of diamonds. Whereas ‘carat’ is only used to describe the weight of gemstones and diamonds. ‘Carrot’ doesn’t factor into the jewellery industry, unless you’re using it to describe the colour of a gorgeous orange sapphire.

Little Sar Jewellery is pleased to provide stunning pieces of jewellery for men, women, children and babies. Whether you’re looking for a birthday present, a Christening gift or matching Mummy and Me and Daddy and Me jewellery sets for Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, we will have something special and unique on offer that’s made to an exceptional quality. We also have a free engraving service available to make your special gift stand out from the crowd. If you would like further information about the gorgeous jewellery pieces we have available, get in touch with a member of our friendly, professional team today – we’re always happy to hear from you.