Where Does the Word ‘Carat’ Come From?
Ever wonder where the term ‘carat’ originates from? ‘Carat’ is a term used to describe the weight of a diamond, and the word originates from Ceratonia siliqua, commonly known as the Carob tree.
Diamond Carat means Weight, Not Necessarily Size
In ancient times, before scales and units of mass were invented, diamond traders compared the weight of a diamond to the seeds of the Carob tree. Each Carob seed had a uniform weight, equal to 0.20 grams or 200 milligrams and hence determined the weight of the diamond.
