# Carats to Drams (ct to dr) Source: https://www.unitconvertercalculator.com/weight/carats-to-drams/ **1 ct = 0.11287667823866 dr** One carat equals approximately 0.1129 drams (avoirdupois). The dram is an old English unit of weight equal to 1/16 of an ounce, or about 1.7718 grams. Converting between carats (used for gemstones) and drams (an archaic unit from the apothecary and trading traditions) bridges two measurement systems that evolved for entirely different purposes. ## Formula Apply the conversion factor ## Conversion Table | Carats (ct) | Drams (dr) | |---|---| | 1 ct | 0.11287667823866 dr | | 5 ct | 0.56438339119329 dr | | 10 ct | 1.1287667823866 dr | | 25 ct | 2.8219169559664 dr | | 50 ct | 5.6438339119329 dr | | 100 ct | 11.287667823866 dr | | 250 ct | 28.219169559664 dr | | 500 ct | 56.438339119329 dr | | 1000 ct | 112.87667823866 dr | | 2500 ct | 282.19169559664 dr | | 5000 ct | 564.38339119329 dr | | 10000 ct | 1128.7667823866 dr | ## Units ### Carat (ct) A carat is a unit of mass equal to exactly 200 milligrams (0.2 grams), used for measuring gemstones and pearls. Adopted internationally in 1907 by the Fourth General Conference on Weights and Measures. ### Dram (dr) A dram (avoirdupois) is a unit of mass equal to 1/16 of an ounce or 1/256 of a pound (1.7718451953125 grams). Historically used in pharmacy and old cooking recipes. ## Background The avoirdupois dram survives mainly in American cooking (some spice measurements) and in historical pharmaceutical references. A typical 1-carat diamond weighs only about 0.11 drams, illustrating how light gemstones are compared to the quantities that drams were designed to measure. You would need nearly 9 one-carat diamonds to weigh a single dram. This conversion occasionally arises in antique appraisals where older records mixed gemstone carats with apothecary drams. ## Good to Know The dram's name comes from the Greek 'drachma,' an ancient coin and weight unit. Through Latin and Old French, it entered English as both a measure of weight and a measure of liquid volume (the fluid dram). The existence of two different drams - avoirdupois and apothecary - caused errors in medicine for centuries, contributing to the global push toward metric units in pharmacy during the 20th century. ## FAQ ### How many drams are in one carat? One carat equals approximately 0.1129 avoirdupois drams. Conversely, one dram is about 8.859 carats. The conversion comes from 1 carat being 0.2 grams and 1 dram being approximately 1.7718 grams. ### What is the difference between an avoirdupois dram and an apothecary dram? The avoirdupois dram (1/16 ounce, about 1.772 g) is used in the common weight system. The apothecary dram (1/8 apothecary ounce, about 3.888 g) was used in pharmacy. They share a name but are different weights, which caused confusion for centuries. ### Is the dram still used anywhere today? The dram is largely obsolete. It survives in some American cooking references for spice quantities and occasionally in ammunition specifications (where powder charges were historically measured in drams). Modern pharmacy has entirely abandoned it in favor of metric units. ## Non-Frequently Asked Questions ### Is a 'dram of whisky' measured in drams? A 'dram' of Scotch whisky is a colloquial pour, not a precise measurement. In practice, a dram of whisky can be anything from a sip to a generous glass (25 to 70 ml). The weight dram (about 1.77 grams) would only fill a thimble. Scotch enthusiasts would find this amount deeply unsatisfying. ### Could I pay for a gemstone in drams of gold? Historically, you might have. Medieval traders sometimes valued goods by weight of precious metal. A 1-carat diamond (0.11 drams) could be traded against its equivalent weight in gold at the going rate. Today, a 1-carat diamond is worth far more than 0.11 drams of gold, because cut diamonds carry craftsmanship and rarity premiums. ### Is 'not a dram of sense' the lightest insult possible? At 1.77 grams, a dram is already quite light. Saying someone lacks a dram of sense means they have less than 1.77 grams of intelligence. In carats, that is less than 8.86 carats of brainpower. 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