What does CTTW mean?

It takes a diamond to light up a women’s heart. So what does CTTW mean in diamond jewellery? If you have ever been diamond shopping, you probably got a bit puzzled with this terminology.

It’s a simple yet significant measure of the diamond’s weight. Just read on and find out precisely what CTTW is and why you need it.

What is CTTW?

In case you haven’t heard of the four “C’s” of diamonds, they are Carat, Color, Clarity and Cut. These are the fundamental factors to look out for when buying diamond pieces.
Whether you are choosing an engagement diamond ring for your sweetheart or buying yourself a lavish diamond neckpiece, you have to watch out for these factors. The most important of them is Carat. It is often denoted on jewellery as “ct” and “cttw”. But they are not the same. So what is the relation with four C’s and CTTW?

WHAT DOES CTTW STAND FOR?

In the context of diamond jewellery, CTTW stands for “carat total weight” (or “total carats weight”). The term refers to the sum of the weights of all diamonds present in a piece of jewellery. If someone says this ring is 1/4 CTW, it means that the sum of all the diamonds totaling to a weight of 0.25 carats.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 1 CARAT AND 1 CARAT TOTAL WEIGHT?

One needs to understand first that the weight of diamonds are given in carats. They are usually not denoted by milligrams or grams.
One carat is the equivalent of 200 milligrams or 0.2 grams. They are also synonymous with 100 ‘points’ in the point system. The carat points system goes like this
¼ carat = 25 points
½ carat = 50 points
1 carat = 100 points
The carat weight is used to denote the weight of a single diamond stone.

The total weight (TW.) refers to the combined weight of a number of smaller diamonds on a ring. So you could have a 1 carat (ctw.) center diamond surrounded by .75cts. total weight (ctTW.) of side diamonds.
The abbreviation “CTTW” and ‘CTW’ can often be seen on diamond jewellery labels, but many people don’t know what these letters mean. Let’s see what CTTW stands for and look more closely at how important this abbreviation is.

An example of Diamond CTTW

As an example, suppose that you have a ring with one center diamond which is mounted that weighs 1 carat and two smaller diamonds of 0.5 carats each. The total carat weight of this piece of jewellery will be the sum of the individual weights of its stones or 2 carats. Thus, it will be marked as 2 cttw on the jewellery.

WHAT DOES CTTW MEAN FOR DIAMONDS?

CTTW helps you know the total weight of all the combined diamonds on the jewellery. This is similar to knowing the stone weight on jewellery encrusted with many gemstones. This weight does not include the weight on the metal.

WHY IS IT CALLED A ct weight?

Carat comes from the word “carob”. In ancient times, they needed a unified measure to weigh precious stones. Since each carob seed weighed the same, they were excellent for weighing purposes. Carat weight is used rather than grams or kilograms because diamonds are different from the usual jewellery.

Different diamonds have different sizes for the same carat weight. So it is about how much it physically weighs rather than the perceived size. Diamonds undergo a lot of cutting and polishing to be the shiny, brilliance crystals we love. The original stone loses much of its material in this process. The carat weight is assigned to the polished cut diamond to denote its value.

What is CTTW?

Diamond purchasing is a whole new ball game. If you don’t understand the rules, you may be paying more than you want to. The thing about diamonds is that its size matters.

The larger the diamond, the more precious it is. Therefore the bigger ones will cost you bigger bucks than the smaller ones. This is because large diamonds are rare. Also as diamonds get larger, there are chances of defects and inclusions which can bring down its lustre. This leads to more rejection rates of big diamonds during mining. All diamonds have defects but when it’s a small diamond, it’s not as visible. These can be neglected, and it doesn’t affect the sparkle. The case is different with bigger diamonds.

Also, the price of a diamond, like the rare pink diamonds is not the same as a white diamond of the same quality and carats. Exclusivity is also a big factor here.

The CTW number can be very useful because it allows you to compare different pieces of jewellery. It helps you figure out not only which contains more diamond (in terms of weight) but also which is a better deal.

For example, if you divide the price for each piece of jewellery you are considering by its total carat weight, you will see which one is cheaper per carat. A ring that features larger stones can cost more per carat than another that has many smaller diamonds.

WHAT DOES CTTW MEAN IN JEWELRY?

Another reason for why two pieces of jewellery may have different prices per carat is the quality of their diamonds. A ring featuring stones of lesser clarity and a lower colour grade will most likely cost less per carat than another ring with diamonds of the same size but of better quality.
So if you are ready for that compromise, you can buy a lower quality diamond of the same carat at a lower price. But since it’s a precious stone and a mark of eternity, we recommend you settle for a good quality diamond at the cost of some carats.

WHAT DOES TOTAL CARAT WEIGHT MEAN FOR EARRINGS?

Let us assume you found a pretty pair of stud earrings you like. Each diamond on it might weigh roughly 1/2 carat. If there are 4 stone in total on the earring the cttw is 2 carats.

Choosing among several pieces of diamond jewellery, make sure you understand the reasons behind the what affects the price per carat. It may be due to the size of the diamonds, their quality, or something else.

THE STEEP PRICE RISE WITH CTTW

Did you know that diamond prices increase exponentially with its carat weight? We found this example that will totally blow your mind!

A 0.50 carat round diamonds of H color(excellent diamonds with a faint yellow hue) VS2 diamond(very small inclusions) from Blue Nile is priced at $1,243. But a 1.00 carat diamond with the exact specifications costs $5,453. The carat weight is just the double by the price blew four times.

This is why engagement rings with a big solitaire are far more expensive than ones with many smaller diamonds.

This is where you need to start to look smaller diamond sets in the place of one large stone. Here as each individual diamond is of a smaller carat, they cost less. The total figure then may fit well within your budget.
So the next time you see a bride rocking a diamond necklace with tiny diamonds, know that your single big rock is far more valuable than that one.

CARAT ABBREVIATION

The abbreviation ct is a shortened way to write carat. It denotes the weight of a single diamond or gemstone and is often found on the product specifications given on the jewellery. The abbreviation ct tw or ctw signifies carat total weight. This is used to express the total weight of multiple diamonds or gemstones used in a piece of jewellery.

Don’t make the mistake of comparing carat and karat(of gold). They are entirely different measures and can throw you off sometimes. Carat is a solely diamond or gemstone measure of weight. Karat in gold isn’t a measure of weight precisely. Gold is alloyed with elements like copper to make it more sturdier. The karat shows how much copper is present in the gold jewellery. 18K gold will have more of alloying elements than 22 K. 24K denotes pure gold without alloys.

WHAT DOES CTTW MEAN in DIAMONDS?

Carat is a measure to express the overall weight of a diamond or gemstone. Diamond carat is one of the 4Cs of diamonds used to determine the overall quality and value of the stone.

Since carat is one of the leading terms used when selling gemstones, it’s important to understand the difference between carat weight and size. Not all 1-carat stones are equal.

CARAT WEIGHT VS. SIZE

A 1-carat diamond will look dramatically different in size than a 1-carat Opal. This is because each gemstone has a different density. A smaller looking 1-carat stone may be able to pack more weight into a smaller space than a visibly larger 1 carat.

Even diamonds that have the same density and carat weight can look different in size. There are diagrams that illustrate a projected diameter of a diamond based on carat weight, but these aren’t always 100% accurate. Diamonds of the same carat weight can look larger or smaller because of variations in shape and cut. The factors, like a shallow cut, make stones with the same density, look different in size.

Smaller diamonds that weigh less than 1-carat are often expressed in terms of points instead of carats. There are 100 points in a carat. Another way to look at it is to say that each point equals 0.01, or one-hundredth, of a carat.

Same way, the ornaments or rings are sized according to the size of the diamond and the number of diamonds in them.

HOW CARAT WEIGHT AFFECTS DIAMOND VALUE?

Larger diamonds are rarer and in more demand than smaller diamonds of the same quality. When you purchase a ring, a 1-carat diamond solitaire ring is always more expensive than a diamond ring made up of multiple smaller diamonds even though the carat weight totals one carat or more.

Diamonds that weigh just under the next full carat are typically less expensive than diamonds passing the full-carat hurdle. Considering the price per carat is a good way to compare the costs of similar diamonds. Divide the cost of each stone by its carat weight to calculate its price per carat.

HOW DO YOU FIND OUT DIAMOND TOTAL WEIGHT CTTW

A diamond weight estimator, a sheet with cutouts for different diamond shapes and sizes, can help give you a preview of how a diamond’s size relates to its carat weight. Remember, this is only an estimate and there will be variation between stones.

Carat weight is only one diamond characteristic that you should explore before you buy a diamond. Take some time to understand more diamond basics before you go shopping. Your diamonds are your most precious possession. Just keep in mind all the necessary tips when you go shopping for one!

HOW TO USE CTTW TO BUY diamonds?

• Whenever you get a piece of jewellery, ask for the total carat weight and the carats. This will help you assess the total value the item is currently and the value of individual pieces on the jewellery.
• If you want bigger and flashier diamonds, you can go for a solitaire with surrounding stones that give the illusion of a really big diamond. This will cost you lesser than a really big diamond of a similar size.
• If you like two pieces of jewellery and they are the same CTTW, go for the one that high higher clarity and shine. It will be of superior quality.
• Also, when you re buying bigger diamonds, it is important that you are caring for your metal in which the diamond will be placed. Gold and platinum are the number 1 choices.

CONCLUSION

You didn’t think that buying diamonds would need another crash course in jewellery. Sigh! It looks like there’s more to diamonds than meets the eye. Now that you know your CW and CTTW apart, note that sometimes jewellers like to play around with their abbreviations. If you see DTW or dtw, it means “diamond total weight”. It is the same as CTTW. TW (or “tw”), which is short for “total weight.”

Also, the markings 2 CTW, 2 DTW, or 2 TW also have the same meaning. We suggest you visit a store and get to know detailed information about carat weights yourself before buying diamonds online. Are you ready to go shopping?

FAQS