Everything About the Diamond Cut

One of the four 4Cs of diamonds is cut. This most technical part of the diamond stone is crucial to its appearance. A poorly cut diamond will look dull and foggy, whereas a well-cut diamond will look brilliant and sparkling. Among color, clarity, cut, and carat, cut influences it the most. You will suddenly feel very attracted to an accurately cut diamond. Before understanding more about appropriate and inappropriate cuts, let’s see what diamond cut actually refers to.

What is a diamond cut?

A diamond's cut is often confused with the shape of the diamond, but in fact, both are quite different. A diamond cut refers to the perfection with which it has been shaped. When the shape of a diamond is cut symmetrically and proportionally, it achieves the needed brilliance. The brilliance or sparkle of a diamond is defined by the intensity of light it reflects or emits. How well a diamond is cut directly affects its beauty and its intensity of sparkle. There is an ideal cut, a shallow cut, and a deep cut. The ideal cut has symmetrical facets, accurate angles, and everything in the right proportion. They let light pass through the diamond and back to the eye. Shallow and deep cuts do not sparkle and often cause light to escape from within.

Anatomy of a Diamond

Before understanding the range of different diamonds on the cut grading scale, let us understand the parts of a diamond.

1. Table size: The largest horizontal facet on the top of the diamond. The ideal percentage should be 54%–57%.

2. Total depth: The height of the diamond from surface to culet. The ideal percentage should be 59%–62%.

3. Culet: A small pointed facet at the bottom. Sizes are none (pointed), very small, small, medium, slightly large, large, very large, and extremely large. Ideal is pointed.

4. Pavilion depth: Bottom edge of the girdle to the culet, the height of the V shape of the diamond contributes to fire and brilliance. Shallow depth will make diamonds dull. The ideal percentage is 59–62%.

5. Pavilion angle: It is the average of angles formed by pavilion facets and the girdle plane. A steeper angle contributes to its brightness and eye-catching look. 40 degrees is ideal.

6. Crown height: Height from the girdle to the table is expressed in percentages.

7. Crown angle: Degree between the girdle and table of the diamond is responsible for the correct face-up appearance. 32–35 degrees is ideal. Less than that can give it a foggy or dark appearance.

GIA Diamond Cut Grade

Diamonds are graded on their brilliance, fire, and symmetry.

The grading scale developed by GIA has the following categories:

1. Excellent cut (E): Example of excellent craftsmanship Round cuts fall into this category. Bestowed with ultimate sparkle and brilliance.

2. Very Good (VG): They also have excellent scintillation and sparkle. The majority of the light is reflected back from the table but can appear darker at certain places because of the light angle.

3. Good (G): They do reflect scintillation, fire, and brightness brilliantly. Again, because of light leakage, sometimes they do not reflect light. To achieve a certain shape, craftsmen cut this grade of diamond. One can get at a low cost.

4. Fair (F): They come with a little brilliance and fire. Have a dark girdle and a dark table area. More apt for side stones or low carats.

5. Poor Cut (P): They appear dark and dull even with unaided eyes as light escapes from the sides and bottom. Not value for money.

The grade of the diamond’s cut determines its price. Therefore, knowing the diamond cut grade is essential, but your decision should not be solely based on it. Two diamonds achieving the same grade can appear and behave differently. Their behavior in different situations will not be the same. So you should test them carefully and then choose whichever appeals to you the most.

Factors that determine cut grade and price

A diamond’s cut grade is assigned on the basis of the following factors:

1. Face-up Appearance (brightness, fire, scintillation)

   A diamond's face-up appearance is how it appears when viewed from above. The right proportions (table, width, and length), angles, and symmetrical facets contribute significantly to the diamond's face-up appearance. They are responsible for the perfect brightness, fire, and scintillation in a diamond.

   Brightness is external and internal light reflecting from a diamond. The fire in a diamond is multiple colors coming out, like a rainbow. Scintillation is the brightness and darkness created by the movement of a light source. The visual effect of all the factors together is a sparkle.

2. Design

   Design refers to the shape of the diamond. A diamond is cut and given a shape, keeping in mind its uniqueness and brilliance. It determines the weight ratio and durability. A poorly designed diamond can be of lower quality.

3. Craftsmanship (Polishing)

   A perfectly crafted stone will shine perfectly in the right places. It refers to its polishing and symmetry. Craftsmanship determines the quality and longevity of a diamond. Poor craftsmanship will disturb its brightness, fire, and scintillation.

Types of Diamond Cut

A diamond's raw shape is octahedral. From this, it is given a round brilliant cut with 58 facets. They intelligently divide facets among all its parts, like the crown, girdle, and pavilion. The round brilliant cut is the most popular cut, and around 55% of diamonds are sold in this cut. For some people, a circle represents unending love. For other shapes like pear, oval, or marquise, the facet patterns are cut differently. Because, unlike brilliant cut, they do not have the ideal pattern of facets, but because they also carry brilliance and fire, they are known as "modified brilliant cut."

There are a number of fancy ways to cut diamonds. These have been invented in order to create more options, but with the utmost brilliance and shine. Let's look at a few.

1. Round Cut

   This is the most popular cut because of its high brilliance, fire, and scintillation. They are beautifully crafted, with 58 facets. The majority of the rings are brilliant round cuts.

2. Oval Cut

   It is very close to being round-cut in terms of brilliance. Comes with 57–58 facets. Their elongated length makes them appear larger.

3. Princess Cut

   It has 50–58 facets and appears to be in a square or rectangular shape from above and an inverted pyramid from the sides. It comes with excellent fire and brilliance and has been a favorite choice for engagement rings. This one can be bought at a lower price as compared to round cuts.

4. Marquise Cut

   It has a rich history. They go by various names, such as "eye cut," "boat cut," and "football cut." It has 56 facets. Its elongated length and shape give it a distinct look, making it ideal for long fingers. It appears to be larger than other diamonds.

5. Emerald Cut

   This cut with 57 facets comes in a rectangular shape with cut edges. Linear and straight facets and a large table give it extraordinary flashes of light. More versatile as compared to round and oval cuts.

6. Cushion Cut

   It is like a pillow shape, square or rectangle, used for vintage jewelry. Less brilliance than round-cut diamonds but has high fire because of its 58 facets.

7. Asscher Cut

   It was developed by Joseph Asscher. Square in shape, with 74 facets. They produce high brilliance and scintillation because of their high crown and step cuts.

When a craftsman cuts a diamond from a rough stone, he must be careful about balancing a well-cut stone with the size of the stone. He should cut the stone to maintain the right carat weight. Customers like to spend more on a larger, fairly cut diamond than on a slightly smaller, well-cut diamond. Do not sacrifice appearance for weight. This is where the grade helps. With its help, a purchaser can easily identify stones that were cut fairly or poorly to attain a desired carat weight.