Newsletter - August 6, 2008

The Jewelry Crafter

A newsletter for the home jeweler

This newsletter will be published every 2 weeks, and will include hints and tips for your jewelry business. Any feedback or comments about the topics presented here are always appreciated. Click here to e-mail us.

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Estimating Gem Carat Weight

by Mary Harvey

You’ve acquired some nice sized gemstones from here or there, and you’d really like to know how many carats it weighs. You’d like to find out before you set it so you can tell your potential customers. How do you figure out the carat weight of a gemstone? This week, I will discuss some different ways to estimate carats.

The easiest way to measure the carat weight of a stone is with a gem scale. You can pick these up on Ebay, or from tool suppliers. These scales usually weigh in one or more of the following: grains, ounces, grams, or carats. If your scale weighs in carats, you’re all set to go. Drop the gem on the scale and read the carats. 

If the scale only weighs in grams, then you have to use a formula to figure out the weight of the stone. Carat weight = grams x 5. If you have a stone that weighs 5 grams, use the formula to find that the stone is 25 carats (5 grams X 5 = 25 carats)

If the stone is too heavy for the gem scale, or if you don’t have a gem scale, use a scale that weighs in ounces (like a postage scale). Convert the weight from ounces to grams, then to carats. One ounce = 28.35 grams, so if you have a stone that weighs .2 ounces, convert it to 5.67 grams (.2 x 28.35 = 5.67 grams), which then converts to 28.35 carats. (5.67 x 5 = 28.35 carats).

The easiest way I’ve found to convert ounces to carats is with an online weight converter. I use http://www.onlineconversion.com/weight_all.htm. Select what you want to convert from and what you want to convert to, and type in the weight, and viola! Instant conversion.

Being able to tell your customer as much as you can about a stone is important. Many customers want to know how many carats that big stone is. Hopefully these tips will help you to be able to do that.