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Diamonds and the Four C's: Cut
Diamond cut - the proportions and finish of a diamond - is
perhaps the most important and, arguably, the most confusing, of
the four C's.
Why is a Diamond's Cut so
important?
 The
proportions and finish of a diamond will tremendously
affect its brilliance and fire. So much so
that a flawless, D color diamond may be rejected by a diamond
dealer if it has a poor cut. Many industry
professionals will recommend sacrificing size for cut quality.
When a diamond is well-cut, light enters through the table and
travels to the pavilion where it reflects from one side to the
other before reflecting back out of the diamond through the table
and to your eye. This light is the brilliance we mentioned, and
it's this flashing, fiery effect that makes diamonds so
beautiful.
 In a
poorly cut diamond, the light that enters through the table reaches
the facets (i.e. the flat surfaces on a diamond) and
then 'leaks' out from the sides or bottom rather than reflecting
back to the eye. Less light reflected back to the eye means less
brilliance.
Regarding the finish of a diamond, if its facets are not smooth
(i.e. if its polish is poor) it may be dull or
cloudy. Similarly, if the facets are not
aligned well (i.e. its symmetry is poor), light will be misdirected
as it enters into and exits out of the diamond.
 Not
surprisingly, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the
American Gemological Society (AGS) and others have
developed standards to comparitively measure diamond
cuts. How wide is its table? What is the
depth of its pavillion? What is the thickness of its
girdle? What is the angle of its crown? What is its
polish like? Its symmetry? The answers to
these questions determine the Cut rating a diamond
receives.
The GIA has established the following Cut Quality classes for
round, brilliant diamonds:
|
Crown Angle Degree |
Pavillion Depth |
Table Size* |
Girdle |
Culet |
Finish |
| Excellent |
34-35 |
close to 43% |
53-60% |
medium -
slightly thick |
none-medium |
very good - excellent |
| Good |
32 - 34 |
42% - 44% |
60 - 64% |
thin / thick |
slightly large |
good |
| Average |
30 - 32, 37 |
41-46% |
65-70% or 51-52% |
very thin /
very thick |
large |
fair |
| Low |
>30, <37 |
>41,<46 |
<70,>51 |
extremely
thin /
extremely
thick |
very large |
poor |
*expressed as a percent of girdle
diameter
The (AGS) has recently established criteria for an Ideal Cut rating
for round brilliant diamonds. AGS places diamonds on a
Cut scale from 0 to 10 with 0 beng Ideal and 10 being
the worst. To get the
covetted Ideal rating, the diamond must have a crown
Angle Degree of 33.7 to 35.8, a pavillion depth percentage of 42.2
to 43.8%, a table diameter % of 52.4 to 57.5%, a girdle thickness
of 'Thin, Medium' or 'Slightly Thick', polish grade of 0
and a symmetry grade of 0.
Why is Cut arguably the most confusing of the 4 C's?
The term Cut is often confusing because, in addition to its many
proportion variables, it is sometimes also
used to describe the shape of a diamond (i.e. round or
princess) or the style it was cut with (i.e. brilliant
or step cut, full or single).
The Fifth C: Cost
When it comes to buying a diamond, remember, bigger does not
necessarily mean better. It is necessary to also
consider the color, clarity, cut & cost
to ensure the quality & value of your purchase.
We are here to assist you every step of the way in making
your diamond purchase. Please do not hesitate to
contact one of our Diamond Sales
Specialists via email.
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