Buying jewelry can be a bit intimidating as one usually lays out a lot of money, and you want to be sure of what you are getting in return. There are a lot of jewelry terms out there, and it’s good to know what they mean before committing to a purchase.
TDW is one of those terms that are useful to understand. TDW stands for Total Diamond Weight and is the term used to describe the total weight of the diamonds in a piece of jewelry. It can also be known as TCW (total carat weight) and TW (total weight).
While this is an important value to know, it is also not to be confused with (CW) diamond Carat Weight as the two are vastly different and can significantly impact the value of your purchase.
What Is The Weight Measurement For Diamonds?
Before we look at how TDW is of significance, it is imperative to understand how diamonds are weighed. Diamond weight is measured in carats. This weight unit harks back to pre-modern measurement scales and is derived from the weight of a carob tree seed. These were found to be consistent in weight and were used to measure the weight of precious gems and metals.
A carat is equal to roughly 0.007 ounces, but for ease of standardization, a carat is used worldwide when measuring gemstones and precious metals. Carat can be abbreviated to ct when expressing diamond weight measurements, where 1 carat is 1ct.
What Is TDW?
As mentioned earlier, TDW is the Total Diamond Weight. This refers to the weight of all of the diamonds in the jewelry piece. If you buy a ring that is made up of a number of small diamonds, the TDW will then equal the weight in carats of all the small diamonds added together. For example, a 1 TDW ring with four diamonds does not mean that you are getting a ring with four 1ct stones. It means that you are getting a ring with any number of stones whose total weight comes to 1ct
What is CW?
The diamond CW (Carat Weight) is the weight of each individual diamond on its own and can also be written as DW (Diamond Weight). This does not refer to the sum of the diamond weight in any particular piece of jewelry. It refers to the weight of a single stone. So if you have a ring with a single diamond of 1 carat, this means that this diamond has a CW of 1 ct.
Knowing the meaning of Total Diamond Weight and Carat Weight can be useful when buying jewelry.
Why Do TDW And CW Matter When Buying Jewelry?
Knowing and understanding what these abbreviations mean will make all the difference when you buy jewelry. Diamonds are not just simple purchases; there is a lot to consider when buying them, as no two diamond rings or jewelry pieces are the same. And this can make a big difference in pricing.
If you take two diamond rings, each has a TDW of 1.5ct, but that’s where the similarity ends. One ring is made up of dozens of small diamonds; the other ring is made up of a single diamond of 1.5ct. Obviously, they look different, but how does the difference in diamond size and number impact the overall value? After all, the TDW of both rings is the same.
Diamonds are rare minerals, and larger stones are rarer still. So the larger the stone and CW, the more valuable the diamond will be. A single solitaire diamond of CW 1.5ct will be intrinsically worth far more than 30 smaller diamonds with a TDW of 1.5ct. In fact, even if there were 2ct worth of smaller diamonds, the ring with the 1.5ct CW solitaire would still be more expensive.
Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as just that, and value depends on more than just the size of a diamond. Clarity, cut, and color is all factors to be considered, but as a general pointer in buying diamonds, the larger a stone, the more value it is likely to have.
Important Points About TDW
The following is a concise list of things to understand about TDW:
- TDW won’t give you information about how many diamonds are in a jewelry piece.
- TDW won’t give you information about how large the diamonds in a jewelry piece are.
- TDW will tell you the weight of the sum of all of the diamonds in a jewelry piece.
- TDW will not help you determine the price of a piece of jewelry.
When buying jewelry, it’s important to note that while knowing the TDW is useful, it will not provide you with sufficient information to make a well-considered decision unless you have additional information available to you.
TDW provides information limited to the total weight of diamonds in a piece of jewelry. But this information is restrictive as it does not specify the size of the diamonds, nor does it provide you with any information with regards to how many diamonds make up that weight.
In order for TDW to be of full use, knowledge of the CW is helpful, as this will provide you with information on the weight of the largest diamond. This will give you a better idea of the worth of the piece.
Recommendations For Buying Diamonds Using The TDW
As the TDW is rather restrictive with regards to overall information, it is best not to rely on this figure when buying online. Even when making purchases in person, ask to inspect the jewelry piece, take note of the number of diamonds and request the CW for the largest stone.
A higher TDW will not necessarily mean a more valuable piece of jewelry.
Conclusion
TDW means the Total Diamond Weight. Its main use is for knowing the total weight of diamonds in a piece of jewelry. While generally useful, it is not of much help when determining the worth of a piece of jewelry as it does not provide sufficient information for a proper valuation.
TDW is not a good way to determine the worth of diamond jewelry. A number of elements that impact the value of a piece of jewelry. Always be sure to request the CW of a piece of jewelry and be aware that unscrupulous dealers may try to confuse buyers by displaying the DTW instead of the CW of a ring.
