Convert Carat (car, ct) to Ton (Assay) (UK) (AT (UK)) instantly.
About these units
Carat (car, ct)
The carat, equal to 200 milligrams, is the standard unit for measuring gemstones and pearls. Its origins trace to the seeds of the carob tree, which were historically thought to have remarkably uniform mass, making them convenient reference weights for early traders. In the modern gem trade, carats measure both weight and (informally) influence perceived value—though size and quality factors such as clarity and color also play major roles. High-precision digital scales capable of reading to 0.001 carat are common in gemology. The carat's persistence shows how specialized units evolve to meet the needs of niche industries. Though small, its economic impact is enormous due to the value of gemstones.
Ton (Assay) (UK) (AT (UK))
The UK assay ton, slightly different from the US version, is defined as 32.666 grams. Like its American counterpart, it was designed so that milligram-level assay results could be easily interpreted as ounces of metal per ton of ore. In British mining operations of the 19th and early 20th centuries, the UK assay ton streamlined economic decision-making by directly correlating lab-scale measurements with bulk extraction expectations. Although now historical, its existence illustrates how different countries tailored their measurement systems to local mining economics and metal markets.