The 45.52 carat Hope Diamond is most famous for its brilliant blue color. But did you know that it features a cushion antique brilliant cut? It also has a faceted girdle with even more facets on the pavilion.
All of these fancy words translate to a diamond that catches the light to sparkle and shine. Learn about the different diamond cuts can help you understand the different finished stone qualities.
Diamond Cuts Are Not the Shape
You’re probably familiar with terms like oval, pear, and round. These refer to the overall shape of the diamond. Cuts are the individual facets of the diamond that catch the light.
The quality of the cuts directly impacts the value of the diamond because it can make or break the diamond’s brilliance and beauty. There are three terms you will see when grading a diamond’s cut.
- Fire: The refracting of the white light into colors.
- Brightness: The white light reflected internally and externally.
- Scintillation: The amount of sparkle.
Depth Percentage
Look for the depth percentage of a diamond. Expensive diamonds tend to have a lower depth percentage because they look larger and have more brilliance. However, the diamond shouldn’t be too shallow, or it will lack the right proportions to get the maximum amount of fire.
The most common term diamond buyers see when shopping is a brilliant cut. This type of cut has numerous facets place in a symmetrical design for the maximum amount of sparkle. You can see this in real life with these diamond huggie earrings.
Table Percentage
The table is the flat top part of the diamond. It needs to be just the right size to refract the right amount of light. Too large or too small, and the diamond won’t look as brilliant.
Diamond Dimensions
Round, asher, and princess diamonds are all supposed to be symmetrical, and this should be reflected in the measurements. The dimensions aren’t too important because of their symmetry.
This changes when buying diamonds in unique shapes, like cushion, heart, trillion, or pear. The length and width of the diamond come into play when determining the ideal depth and table percentages.
GIA Certificate
Instead of trying to learn about the specific ideal percentage of the shape of the diamond you’re buying, look for a GIA-certified diamond. The work is then done for you. Stick with diamonds that have a rating of excellent.
Diamond Cut Grades
A professional gemologist can inspect a diamond to determine the quality of the cuts. Excellent is the best rating possible with the highest level of fire and brilliance. The ratings go down from there with very good, good, fair, and poor.
A diamond with a rating of poor creates no sparkle, fire, or brilliance. Any light that enters the diamond leaves through the sides and bottom without getting refracted.
Diamond Cuts
As you can see, most people make the mistake of shopping for the biggest diamonds. When in reality, you could purchase a smaller and more valuable diamond with a perfect cut. Look for a diamond with an excellent rating for its diamond cuts.
Browse our other fashion articles for more helpful advice when shopping for quality jewelry.
