What is Diamond Cut? The diamond cut refers to how well the diamond’s facets interact with light, the proportions of the diamond, an...
What is Diamond
Cut?
The diamond cut
refers to how well the diamond’s facets interact with light, the proportions of
the diamond, and the overall finish of the diamond.
The diamond
industry uses the word "cut" in two different ways. First, it's used
to describe the shape of a diamond (for example, a "princess cut"
diamond). The second way "diamond cut" is used is to describe the
reflective qualities of a diamond. The reflective quality of the diamond is
determined by how well the diamond was cut.
Diamond cut is
perhaps the most important of the four Cs, so it is important to understand how
this quality affects the properties and values of a diamond. A good cut gives a
diamond its brilliance, which is that brightness that seems to come from the
very heart of a diamond. The angles and finish of any diamond are what
determine its ability to handle light, which leads to brilliance.
The facts that
evaluate how successfully a diamond interacts with light to create desirable
visual effects such as:
Brightness: Internal and external white light
reflected from a diamond
Fire: The scattering of white light into all the colors of the
rainbow
Scintillation: The amount of sparkle a diamond
produces, and the pattern of light and dark areas caused by reflections within
the diamond
Because cut is
so important, several grading methods have been developed to help consumers
determine the cut of a particular diamond. In general, these grades are:
- Ideal
- Excellent
- Very Good
- Good
- Fair & Poor
WHICH GRADE OF
DIAMOND CUT SHOULD I BUY?
Selecting the grade of cut is really a matter of preference. To make the best selection, you need to understand the various grades. Please note that the descriptions below are general guidelines.
Ideal Cut
This cut is intended to maximize brilliance, and the typically smaller table sizes of these diamonds have the added benefit of creating a great deal of dispersion or 'fire' as well.
Excellent
In the case of round diamonds, many Excellent Cut diamonds have cuts that are the equal of any Ideal Cut diamond, though they often can be purchased at slightly lower prices than Ideal Cuts. They are intended to provide maximum brilliance and fire
Very Good
These diamonds reflect most of the light that enters them, creating a good deal of brilliance. With these diamonds, the cutters have chosen to stray slightly from the preferred diamond proportions in order to create a larger diamond. The result is that these diamonds fall slightly outside of some customers' preferences in terms of, for example, table size or girdle width, though, in many cases many of the parameters of diamonds in this range will overlap with certain parameters of diamonds in the Ideal or Excellent ranges. Generally, the price of these diamonds in slightly below that of Excellent cuts.
Good
Diamonds that reflect much of the light that enters them. Their proportions fall outside of the preferred range because the cutter has chosen to create the largest possible diamond from the original rough crystal, rather than cutting extra weight off to create a smaller Excellent quality diamond. Diamonds in this range offer an excellent cost-savings to customers who want to stay in a budget without sacrificing quality or beauty.
Fair & Poor
A diamond graded as fair or poor reflects only a small proportion of the light that enters it. Typically these diamonds have been cut to maximize the carat weight over most other considerations.
There are three factors that determine a
diamond's cut quality:
Proportions: the relative sizes and angles of the
diamond's parts and facets
Symmetry: the precision of the cut design,
especially the facets
Polish: the smoothness and lustre of the diamond's surface
Buying Tip:
Cut grade is the
most important factor in determining the overall appearance of a diamond,
because a poorly cut diamond will seem dull even with excellent clarity and
color. Conversely, a well cut diamond can have a slightly lower color (G-H) or
clarity (SI1-SI2) and still look quite beautiful, due to its superior ability
to create sparkle and brilliance.
For superior
brilliance, choose a diamond with a Cut grade of Very Good or Excellent for
round diamonds, and Good or better in fancy shape diamonds. When choosing a
diamond in this range, make sure its Symmetry and Polish are Very Good or
Excellent, so that the impact of the above average Cut is not obscured.
For those on a
budget, primarily concerned with size, a diamond of Fair - Good cut may be an
acceptable choice, especially in fancy shapes. While the diamond will lack the scintillation
and brilliance of a well cut diamond, it will allow a significant increase in
size for the same price.
Avoid Poor cut
diamonds, even if size is the primary concern. Most find these diamonds to be
an unacceptable trade off, despite the lower price.
Keep in mind
that a well-cut diamond will have more life and sparkle than one with a lesser
cut quality. Not only will an Ideal cut diamond have more sparkle, but it can
even appear to have a better face-up color or clarity!
