The word carat comes from the Carob Mediterranean tree whose seed was used for centuries as the standard of weighing precious gems. Each carob seed weighs approximately one-fifth of a gram. A carat is one-fifth of a gram.
Terminology
Jewelry & Diamond Industry Dictionary of Terminology
Gemstone
Decorative material, usually a mineral, prized for some or all of the qualities of beauty, durability, and rarity. It is used synonymously with "gem," and "stone."
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Sources for these definitions are Cally Hall, GIA.edu, Google.com, Meriam-Webster.com, and Wikipedia.org.
