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DIAMOND » CARAT » CLARITY » COLOUR » CUT » COST
Definition: Rough diamonds can be cut by experts to virtually any shape and size
Some of the most popular shapes are round, oval, princess, emerald, marquise, pear, heart, triangle and radiant. The cut of a
polished diamond is the only human contribution to its beauty, fire and brilliance.
Popular Diamond Shapes:
Round
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Princess
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Emerald
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Asscher
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Oval
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Marquise
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Pear
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Radiant
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Cushion
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Heart
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Because of its extraordinary ability to reflect light, the round brilliant
diamond is the most popular shape today.
Cut determines amount of reflected light that exits through the top of a
diamond. The better the cut, the more light exits through the top, the more
brilliant and beautiful the diamond.
Is cut important?
Many gemologists consider cut to be the most important diamond characteristic:
- A poorly cut diamond will appear relatively dull, even if clarity and color are
perfect. When light is reflected through the sides and bottom of the diamond,
not the top, brilliance and fire are dramatically reduced.
- The 'well-cut' diamond reflects almost all the light through the top; it will
be the most beautiful, and the most valuable.
So, why don't we hear more about cut?
Diamond sellers prefer to talk about carat weight, color and clarity. That's
because those measures are relatively simple to explain:
- Carat weight is an exact measure
- Color is easy to determine by comparing the diamond to 'master stones'
- Clarity is a bit more difficult to judge, but there are well-established rules
and standards that are accepted by all reputable diamond grading laboratories
On the other hand, grading the cut of a diamond is complex. It is the analysis
of all the diamond's proportions taken together that determines the cut grade.
Even the most reputable gemological laboratories try to avoid grading cut. In
fact, only the AGS (American Gemological Society) has an established system for
grading cut. Hopefully, the GIA, EGL, UGL will follow their lead.
How is cut graded?
First, let's look at the parts of a diamond that are considered when evaluating
cut:
| Diameter |
the width of the diamond as measured through the girdle |
| Table |
the largest facet of a diamond |
| Crown |
the top portion of the diamond; the crown extends from the girdle to the table |
| Girdle |
the narrow band around the widest part of the diamond; the girdle separates the crown from the pavilion |
| Pavilion |
the bottom portion of the diamond; the pavilion extends from the girdle to the culet |
| Culet |
the facet at the tip of the diamond; diamonds of excellent cut have culets that are invisible to the naked eye |
| Depth |
the height of the diamond; depth is measured from the table to the culet |
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To determine the diamond's cut grade:
- All the proportions of the diamond are considered
- All the angles between faces and facets are measured
The symmetry of the diamond is evaluated
The final cut grade of the diamond is determined by its weakest component. For
example, an 'extremely thin' girdle will result in a poor cut grade, even if
every other measurement is ideal.
Remember: Only about 3% of polished diamonds are ideal cuts. They are exquisite and rare
gems that reflect back 96% or more of the light that enters through the table.
No other diamond characteristic has so much impact on price!
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