What is CTTW for Diamonds: All You Should Know About

We shall explain what CTTW is, its significance in the diamond market, and so on through this article. We believe that explaining the same is truly important given CTTW stands for “carat total weight,” and it is an integral part of diamond weighing and price determination.

What is CTTW?

CTTW, if we decipher this, then it means Carat Total Weight. And the effect of diamond prices in different ways.

For instance, if the jeweler points out these are 1.18cttw diamonds for your wedding ring, which means the diamonds in the ring are for 1.18 carats combined. 

So, to make you understand what CTTW means better, let’s dive into this article.

Carat is the universally accepted unit for measuring diamonds and a pretty sensitive unit as minor increases can cause significant price differences.

What does CTTW mean in a Diamond Ring?

CTTW is Carat Total Weight, and CTTW is the abbreviation used for it. It is the unit used to measure diamonds in a particular piece of jewelry you purchased.

There are multiple ways the CTTW acronym is inscribed in a piece of jewelry so that it can be either written as “CT TW” or “CTTW” here, CT means carat, which is the unit used to measure the diamond’s weight.

On the other hand, “TW’ is the total weight that is used to measure the weight of all the diamonds used in the piece of jewelry and not just the solitaire or the centerpiece.

Please note that both carat weight and total weight are different terms; yes, it seems to be the same thing through the description, but it isn’t. Carat weight is usually used for one piece of diamond, whereas total weight is for the entire jewelry. This confusion can be avoided by visiting a trusted jeweler.

CTTW vs Carat: The Difference?

The difference between total weight and carat weight is consequential, and we shall let you know-how.

Let’s follow the carat weight of a diamond, when pointed out, it points out the amount that the diamond weighs and doesn’t measure its size. When measured with the carat unit, a diamond weighs around 200 mg, the diameter from 5.60mm to 6.50mm the range in which the diamond’s diameter falls depends upon the cut of the diamond.

Shape	Carat	Cut	Color	Clarity	Price
round	3.43	Ideal	D	VS1	$4846 $4615	View
round	3.03	Ideal	F	VVS2	$2169 $2066	View
round	3.16	Excellent	D	VVS2	$8208 $6977	View
round	2.94	Excellent	D	VVS1	$7668 $6518	View
round	2.51	Excellent	E	VS1	$3382 $2875	View
round	3.20	Excellent	F	VS1	$2914 $2477	View
round	3.00	Excellent	J	VS2	$5000 $4250	View
round	2.64	Excellent	D	VVS2	$4251 $3613	View
round	3.04	Ideal	F	VS1	$4418 $3755	View
round	2.60	Ideal	G	VS1	$1394 $1185	View
round	2.69	Ideal	G	VS1	$1853 $1575	View
round	3.04	Excellent	F	SI1	$2749 $2337	View
round	2.86	Excellent	E	VVS2	$4462 $3793	View
round	2.55	Excellent	G	VVS2	$1404 $1193	View
round	3.01	Excellent	J	VS2	$1712 $1455	View
round	2.50	Ideal	G	SI1	$1029 $875	View
round	3.32	Ideal	G	VS2	$2402 $2042	View
round	3.35	Ideal	F	VS1	$3014 $2562	View
round	2.66	Ideal	G	VS1	$1418 $1205	View
round	2.76	Ideal	G	VS1	$1347 $1145	View

When you view loose diamonds online or go to a jeweler in general, the carat weight is depicted through “ct” which is the acronym used for the same. Online you’ll see the “ct” being listed along with the color and cut and clarity of the same being listed.

Now, let’s explain what the “TW” diamond means. It is the total weight of diamonds in the piece of jewelry you’re buying. It isn’t like the carat, which measures the weight of only the jewelry’s center stone, but it is the weight of the entire stone.

The acronym of “CTTW” or “CTW” carat total weight is primarily used across the world and almost interchangeably, and both of them have the same meaning.

Now, there can be questions what if there is only one diamond in the ring or earring we purchase? What would be the difference between “CT” and “CTTW” then? The answer is that then both of them are the same. For example, if you’re buying a center stone cut diamond ring, then the “CT” and “CTTW” will be the same.

Other rings have a center stone and then smaller stones around them. Here the total carat weight rounds up to the weight of smaller stones added with the weight of the center stone.

Now, either can significantly weigh the center stone or the stones surrounding them, and accordingly, the price is decided.