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Mieke Vranken Jeweldesign & Goldsmitthing
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The 4 C's of Diamonds :
Diamond Cut
The shining brilliance of diamonds. You may have wondered how that light can come from deep in the heart of a diamond. That is a result of the 'diamond 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. The angles and finish of any diamond are what determine its ability to handle (reflect) light, which leads to brilliance. So The quality of the "cut" does make a difference in how a diamond looks.And don't confuse diamond "cut" with "shape." Shape refers to the general outward appearance of the diamond, (such as round, emerald, or pear). When you read on the diamonds' certificate "cut" that's a reference to the diamond's reflective qualities, not the shape. Take a look at the chapter 'Diamond Terminology' (further) for an explanation of the terms used in the next paragraphs. In an ideal cut diamond, 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 the observer's eye. (see the images below) This light is the brilliance that you can see, and it's this flashing, fiery effect that makes diamonds so mesmerising. In a poorly cut diamond, less light is reflected because the light that enters through the table reaches the facets and then 'leaks' out from the sides or bottom of the diamond rather than reflecting back to the eye. This results in less brilliance. The Grades. All experts agree that the best cut diamonds are those that follow a set of formulae calculated to maximise brilliance. These formulae can be seen in a diamond's proportions, most importantly how the depth compares to the diameter, and how the diameter of the table compares to the diameter of the diamond. However, the variance in the proportions between an Ideal Cut and a Poor Cut can be difficult to be determined by the casual observer. Because the large importance of the cut, several grading methods have been developed. They should help consumers to determine the cut of a particular diamond. In general, these grades are : Ideal / Premium / Very Good / Good / Fair & Poor Which Cut Grade to choose. It will depend upon your own preference, which grade you want to choose. But to make the best selection, you need to understand the various grades. Don't forget that they are just guidelines. Ideal Cut Ideal quality diamonds are truly for the person who enjoys knowing that he has one of the finest things that money can buy. This category applies only to round shaped diamonds. This cut is intended to maximise 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. Premium This grade is hard to define. In the case of round diamonds, many Premium Cut diamonds have cuts that are the equal of any Ideal Cut diamond, though they often can be purchased at lower prices. They are intended to provide maximum brilliance and fire. Very Good With these diamonds, the cutters have chosen to stray slightly from the ideal diamond proportions in order to create a larger diamond. These diamonds reflect most of the light that enters them, creating a good deal of brilliance. The result is that these diamonds fall slightly outside of some customers' preferences in terms of table size or girdle width. Generally, the price of these diamonds in slightly below that of Premium cuts because in many cases, many of the parameters of diamonds in this range, will overlap with certain parameters of diamonds in the Ideal or Premium ranges. Good Diamonds in this range offer an excellent cost-savings to customers who want to stay in a budget without sacrificing quality or beauty. The grade describes 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 Premium quality diamond. Fair & Poor These diamonds typically have been cut to maximise the carat weight over most other considerations. A diamond graded as fair or poor reflects only a small proportion of the light that enters it. So 'Big' is not always 'Beautiful' when talking about diamonds Diamond Terminology Explanation of the various "parts" of a diamond. Diameter The width of the diamond as measured through the girdle. Table This is the large, flat top facet of a diamond. Crown The upper portion of a cut gemstone, above the girdle. Girdle The narrow rim of a diamond that separates the crown from the pavilion. It is the largest diameter to any part of the stone. Pavilion The lower portion of the diamond, below the girdle. It is sometimes referred to as the base. Culet The tiny facet on the pointed bottom of the pavilion, which is the portion of a cut gem below the girdle. Depth The height of a gemstone, from the culet to the table. |
