Need help with choosing a diamond? This article, published by GIA, (Gemological Institute of America) discusses, Diamond Cut and why it is by far the most important aspect of a diamond. After all, when referring to natural diamonds, it is the only aspect that man has control over.

Remember to never confuse a diamonds Cut with a diamonds shape- a mistake Ive seen often in my 8 years working in the jewelry industry.

Enjoy the article!

“GIA 4Cs Cut

Cut is the factor that fuels a diamond’s fire, sparkle and brilliance.

The traditional 58 facets in a round brilliant diamond, each precisely cut and defined, are as small as two millimeters in diameter. But without this precision, a diamond wouldn’t be nearly as beautiful. The allure of a particular diamond depends more on cut than anything else.

Though extremely difficult to analyze or quantify, the cut of any diamond has three attributes: brilliance (the total light reflected from a diamond), fire (the dispersion of light into the colors of the spectrum), and scintillation (the pattern of light and dark areas and the flashes of light, or sparkle, when a diamond is moved).

People often think of diamond cut as shape. Round is the shape used in most diamond jewelry. All other shapes are known as fancy shapes. Traditional fancy shapes include the marquise, pear, oval and rectangle.  Hearts, triangles and a variety of others are also gaining popularity in diamond jewelry.

As a value factor, though, cut refers to a diamond’s proportions, symmetry and polish. For example, look at a side view of the standard round brilliant. The major components, from top to bottom, are the crown, girdle and pavilion. A round brilliant cut diamond has 57 or 58 facets, the 58th being a tiny flat facet at the bottom of the pavilion that’s known as the culet. The large, flat facet on the top is the table. The proportions of a diamond refer to the relationships between table size, crown angle and pavilion depth. A wide range of proportion combinations are possible, and these ultimately affect the stone’s interaction with light.

In early 2005, GIA unveiled a diamond cut grading system for standard round brilliants in the D-to-Z color range. This system, the product of  years of intensive research and testing, assigns an overall diamond cut grade ranging from Excellent to Poor.

HOW DOES PAVILION DEPTH AFFECT A DIAMOND’S CUT?

The distance from the bottom of the girdle to the culet is the pavilion depth. A pavilion depth that’s too shallow or too deep will allow light to escape through the sides or the bottom of the stone. A well-cut diamond will direct more light through the crown.”

Patrick White
256-777-6269
@pdwhite10