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