| The cut of a diamond is the physical | | | | focused on round brilliant diamond shapes but the |
| measurement and relative proportion of a polished | | | | grading laboratories are slowly introducing cut |
| diamond and is the most important characteristic | | | | grades for the fancy shapes like the princess, |
| in producing a diamond's beauty. A single number | | | | emerald, oval, radiant, cushion and others. Each |
| does not define cut. Instead, it is a myriad of | | | | diamond shape has its own set of cut parameters |
| measurements, relative percentages, angles, finish, | | | | that produce the optimal light performance and |
| and performance of light within the diamond. | | | | beauty for that particular diamond shape. |
| The brilliance and sparkle of a diamond is the | | | | If the cut of the diamond is the key to its |
| result of the reflection and refraction of light | | | | beauty, why would anyone purchase a diamond |
| within a diamond and is the cumulative effect of | | | | without great cut? Probably the main reason is |
| the many facets on the surface of the | | | | lack of knowledge by the consumer. Until recent |
| three-dimensional diamond shape. What makes | | | | years, it has been difficult for the consumer to |
| judging cut difficult is that beauty is in the eye of | | | | assess the cut of the diamond because jewelers |
| the beholder. Different people perceive the beauty | | | | focused on color, clarity and carat weight. The |
| of a diamond differently in terms of what they | | | | jeweler used the bright lights in the showroom to |
| perceive as beautiful. | | | | mask the light performance of the diamond. As |
| In recent years, major diamond grading | | | | the diamond shopper becomes more aware of |
| laboratories like the Gemological Institute of | | | | what constitutes cut and has access to the GIA |
| America (GIA) and the American Gem Society | | | | or AGS cut grades on the diamond grading |
| (AGS) have established cut grades to help the | | | | reports, they will be able to filter out the average |
| consumer make better decisions for purchasing | | | | and poor cut diamonds in their purchase decisions. |
| diamonds based on cut characteristics. However, | | | | Sometimes budget is a factor in purchasing |
| the cut grading systems are different from each | | | | something less than the best cut. However, cut is |
| other and constantly changing. As a result, there | | | | typically a real bargain since there is little visual |
| is no single official cut grade but the current | | | | difference between the top echelons of diamond |
| systems are a giant leap ahead of the past with | | | | cut and the price difference between average |
| no cut grades. | | | | and exceptional cut is often minimal. Perhaps the |
| The quality of the cut is most visible in terms of | | | | real cost of getting better cut in a diamond, is the |
| how light performs in a diamond to produce | | | | time and effort to learn about cut and to find a |
| Brightness, Fire, and Scintillation. | | | | retailer who can provide diamonds with |
| Brightness is the visual effect of all the internal | | | | exceptional cut at reasonable prices. |
| and external reflections of white light. This | | | | Once a diamond shopper has determined what |
| brightness (also known as brilliance) results | | | | shape of diamond they want to purchase, they |
| primarily from the angles of the facets and the | | | | need to research what cut parameters contribute |
| relative size of the top facet called the table. | | | | to desirable appearance. Some diamond shoppers |
| Fire is the visual effect of rainbow colored flashes | | | | fall into a trap of narrowly defining their |
| of light caused by the separation of white light | | | | acceptable range for every diamond |
| into various colors when the diamond acts as a | | | | measurement, not realizing that the beauty of the |
| prism. | | | | diamond results from the interrelationships of all |
| Scintillation is the visual effect of sparkle and | | | | the facets. Simply picking the middle of the range |
| patterns of light and darkness. Sparkle is the | | | | for each parameter can lead to a mediocre result. |
| points of light that flash as the diamond, the light | | | | The cut grades are an attempt to rate how a |
| source or the observer moves. The arrangement | | | | combination of factors work together in the |
| and contrast between the bright and dark areas is | | | | diamond. |
| important to what the eye perceives as beautiful. | | | | Regardless of the cut grade systems today or in |
| An all-bright diamond or an all-dark diamond is less | | | | the future, only the diamond shopper can |
| attractive than a diamond with a balanced, | | | | determine what is most appealing to their eye. |
| symmetrical and contrasting pattern of reflection. | | | | Cut is critical to the beauty of the diamond so |
| Some of the more important diamond | | | | making the best diamond purchase decision |
| measurements influencing the cut grade are depth | | | | means understanding the importance of cut and |
| percentage, table percentage, crown angle, and | | | | finding that special diamond that is beautiful to |
| pavilion angle. The initial cut grade research | | | | behold. |