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 Cut
The cut refers to the angles and proportions of
a diamond. The cut of a diamond — its roundness, its depth and width, the
uniformity of the facets — determines its beauty. The skill with which a
diamond is cut determines how well it reflects and refracts light. A well-cut
diamond will internally reflect light from one mirror-like facet to another and
disperse and reflect the light through the top of the stone. This results in a
display of brilliance and fire. Fire, or dispersion, is the ability of a
diamond to break light into rainbow colors. Brilliance describes the brightness
from reflections of white light coming from the diamond.
Cut is considered to be the most important
diamond characteristic because a well-cut diamond can appear to be of greater
carat weight and have enhanced clarity and color.
The quality of the cut is determined by a number
of factors, including proportion, symmetry, and the relative angles of various
facets. The width and depth have the greatest effect on how light travels
within the diamond, and how it exits in the form of brilliance. A poorly-cut
diamond with facets cut only a few degrees out of alignment can result in a
poorly performing stone. A well- cut diamond should reflect most light out from
the table (the largest top facet) and make the diamond appear white when viewed
from the top. An inferior cut will produce a stone that appears dark at the
center and in some extreme cases the ring settings may show through the top of
the diamond as shadows.
The best cut diamonds have proportions that are
within specified ranges to maximize brilliance. The cut grading scale of
diamonds is based on the reflective properties of the diamond according to the
calculated diamond measurements.
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Ideal:
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Exquisite quality
cut to create the optimal combination of brilliance and fire. Reflects nearly
all light that enters the diamond. Top 3% of diamond quality based on cut. |
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Very Good:
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Superior quality cut that
reflects nearly as much light as the ideal cut while at a substantially lower
cost. Top 15% of diamond quality.
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Good:
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Premium quality cut to optimize
the size without sacrificing quality or beauty. Reflects most light that
enters. Top 25% of diamond quality. |
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Fair:
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Good quality cut which reflects
some light while maximizing weight. While not as brilliant as a good cut, still
a quality diamond. Top 35% of diamond quality. |
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Poor:
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Inadequate quality cut that
reflects minimal amount of light. Brilliant Earth does not provide diamonds
with cut grades of poor. |
Diamond Characteristics
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Diameter:
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Width of diamond as
measured through the girdle. |
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Culet:
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The tiny facet at the bottom tip
of a gemstone. The optimal culet should be pointed or very small (graded
“small” or “none”).
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Table:
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The largest facet of a gemstone,
located at the top. |
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Crown:
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The top portion of the diamond,
from the girdle to the table. |
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Pavillion:
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The lower portion of a diamond,
from the girdle to the culet.
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Girdle:
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The narrow rim around the widest
part of a diamond, separating the crown from the pavillion. |
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Depth:
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The height of a gemstone, from
the culet to the table. |
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