A lot of people mix up the words "karat" and "carat." While they sound similar, these two terms have very different meanings. Karats measure the purity of gold while carats measure weight.

The term "karat" is used to describe the purity of gold. A 24-karat piece has an almost perfect amount, with only a few percentage points missing from its total weight in different metals like silver or copper which can be found mixed together at varying degrees depending on what type you purchase for your accessory needs! 

• 24K Gold (100% gold) - Usually too soft for jewelry
• 22K Gold (91.7%) - Bright and high polish luster; another great option for fine jewelry although not as widely available 
• 18K Gold (75% pure gold + other metals) - Best color & quality. The perfect balance between strength and purity, perfect for fine jewelry
• 14K Gold (58.3% pure gold + other metals) - Reasonable priced and good quality

Carat (ct.) refers to the unique unit of weight measurement used exclusively for gems and diamonds. The carat is often confused with visual size although it actually measures a stones' mass in grams, which means you can accurately determine how much an individual stone weighs! For example: A 1-carat diamond will have around 6.5 mm visible from its surface while 2 ct rounds may measure up at 9mm each; whereas smaller gemstones such as sapphires might only be 5 mm long on average when measuring by volume but still weigh one full point because they're so dense compared others types of rocks or minerals present within their composition.

Below are approximate carat sizes of different round diamonds. This will be a good guide when deciding which carat size.

• .05 ct diamond - 2.4 mm
• .10 ct. diamond - 3.0 mm
• .15 ct. diamond - 3.4 mm
• .20 ct. diamond - 3.8 mm
• .50 ct. diamond - 5.0 mm
• 1 ct. diamond - 6.5 mm

Total carat weight (t.cw.) represents the total weight of all diamonds or other gemstones in a piece, when more than one is used for jewelry - this includes both ring settings and bracelets . For example an earring made from diamond solitaire would usually be quoted as such because it contains two separate stones with their own specific weights which combine together to make up your final count.

If you’ve been wondering how to tell them apart, now you know! You can use this knowledge when shopping for diamonds and other precious gems. We hope that knowing these differences will help make your purchasing experience more enjoyable and informed!