The word "melee" is used in the diamond business to refer to smaller brilliant-cut diamonds & any other small loose diamonds that are used to decorate the settings of bigger jewels. Melee is defined by the GIA as little diamonds weighing less than 1/5 carat that is either single cut or full cut (ct). Melee diamonds can be as little as 0.001 carats (1/1000 carat) in size.