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Cut: Why is Cut So Important to The Beauty Of a Diamond?

The cut of a diamond is one of the 4Cs of diamond grading which, along with carat weight, diamond color and diamond clarity, help to determine the value of a diamond to a diamond buyer. But, the actual beauty of any diamond depends more so on its cut than any of the other three characteristics. It is the overall quality of the cut which determines the symmetry of the stone and its ability to reflect light.

The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) assigns three attributes to the cut of a diamond: brightness, fire and scintillation. Gemologists use these attributes as defined below to describe the cut of a diamond.

Brightness – the amount of light reflected from the diamond

Fire – the way the light disperses into colors of the spectrum

Scintillation – sparkle

Cut and shape are sometimes mistakenly used interchangeably when describing a diamond. But, cut refers to the proportions of the stone, its symmetry and polish, whereas shape describes the overall appearance of the diamond.

There are several diamond cuts; each with its own faceting pattern and ideal proportions. The round brilliant diamond is the predominant diamond cut used in jewelry today and is characterized by 57 – 58 precisely cut, brilliant facets. Other diamond cuts like emerald, pear, heart and oval are considered “fancies” or “fancy-cuts”. GoldFellow® diamond buyers will give you cash for diamonds for all cuts as long as the stone weighs .25 carats or more.

Diamond Components

When discussing diamond cuts, it is best to know the terminology used to describe the various parts of a diamond. The diagram below illustrates the various components of a diamond while our glossary explains each important component:

Table – The table is the largest flat cut facet at the top of the diamond.

Crown – The crown of the diamond is the faceted top portion of the diamond from the table to the girdle.

Girdle – The girdle is the perimeter or outer edge of the diamond located between the crown and the pavilion. Girdles can be polished, faceted or rough and usually do not impact the appearance of the stone.

Pavilion – The pavilion encompasses the entire bottom portion of the diamond. It has a direct impact on a diamond’s ability to reflect light back out the top. A well cut and well proportioned pavilion (not too shallow or deep) will reflect more light from the top rather than losing light from the sides and bottom as a poorly cut stone may do.

Culet – The culet is a facet which is located at the bottom of the diamond. On a round, brilliant cut, the culet is the 58th and smallest facet.

Characteristics of Diamond Cut

Measurements – Diamonds are measured in millimeters. The way in which the various measurements for height and width interact proportionally effects the overall symmetry of the cut and therefore the diamond’s ability to reflect, refract and disperse light.

Depth percentage – Diamond’s depth is measured in millimeters from the top of the stone to the culet. The depth percentage is the ratio of diamond depth to its diameter. There is an ideal depth percentage for each diamond cut.

Table percentage – This is the ratio of the width of the diamond’s table to the width of the stone. Like depth percentage, there is an ideal table percentage for each cut.

Proportions – A diamond’s proportions refers to the correct number, size and placement of facets for the cut in relation to the stone’s length and width.

Faceting – There are two types of faceting used in diamond cutting today: The brilliant cut which is characterized by triangular facets which face outward from the diamond’s center; and the step cut which is characterized by rows of elongated facets placed side by side in a mirrored, staircase pattern.

Polish – Every diamond facet should be properly polished after cutting as the quality of the polish impacts the overall brilliance of the stone. The objective is to achieve a high polish, leaving few imperfections or scratches.

Symmetry – The symmetry of the faceting pattern impacts the way a diamond reflects, refracts and disperses light which ultimately effects the stone’s fire and brilliance.