|
|
|
 |
 |
Diamonds Cut
The Path Of Light In 3 Differently Proportioned Diamonds
|
 |
| "WELL-CUT" DIAMOND
The Majority of light returns to the eye. You have a Balance of Brilliance, Dispersion, Scintillation and Luster |
|
"SHALLOW-CUT" DIAMOND
Much light leaks out pavilion Diamond appears "washed-out", or "watery" face-up The Girdle may reflect into table facet. Extreme examples are called "Fish-Eyes" |
|
"DEEP-CUT" DIAMOND
Much light leaks out the pavilion. The Diamond appears dark face-up. Extreme examples are called "Nail-heads" |
|
 DEFINITIONS
Crown
The area of the diamond above the girdle.
Girdle
The girdle is the outer edge of the diamond. It is rated in terms of thickness ranging from thin to thick: Extremely Thin, Very Thin, Thin, Medium, Slightly Thick, Thick, Very Thick, or Extremely Thick. When purchasing a diamond, avoid Extremely Thin or Extremely Thick.
The girdle usually has a frosted appearance. Many diamonds are also finished with a fully polished or even a faceted girdle, depending on the cutter's preference. This will not affect the diamond's value.
Pavilion
The area of the diamond below the girdle.
Table
The largest facet on any diamond, place and polished on the top of the gem.
TOTAL DEPTH
Round Diamonds
The proportion dimension calculated by dividing the depth in millimeters by the average girdle diameter.
Fancy-Shaped Diamonds.
The proportion dimension calculated by dividing the depth in millimeters by the diamond's width.
Culet
The culet is the bottom point of the diamond. In many cases, this point actually has a very small facet. The culet is graded according to the presence or size of this facet: None or Pointed, Very Small, Small, Medium, Slightly Large, Large, Very Large and Extremely Large. The more desirable culets are graded from none to small.
Polish
This characteristic refers to the finishing or final polishing of the facets, or flat surfaces. Each facet should be carefully fashioned by the diamond cutter to shine and be free from polishing imperfections that can dull the diamond. The polish of a diamond is generally defined as: Poor, Fair, Good, Very Good, or Excellent. When purchasing a diamond, generally the rarer color and clarity diamonds are also well polished.
Contrary to common belief, diamonds are ground and polished, not chipped away, until they reach their final form.
Symmetry
This characteristic refers to the alignment and positioning of the facets, or flat surfaces. The alignment should be sharp and precise and in proper proportion to the other facets to allow light to be reflected. Improperly joined facets can made a diamond appear uneven. The symmetry of a diamond is generally defined as: Poor, Fair, Good, Very Good, or Excellent. Again rarer diamonds generally have better symmetry.
FANCY SHAPES AND VALUE
All factors being equal, fancy-shaped diamonds retain more weight from the original rough than round diamonds, therefore the price-per-carat is less. Generally, with some market exceptions, fancy-shaped diamonds are priced less than rounds, and are therefore more affordable. Plus, elongated fancy-shaped diamonds appear much larger than a comparable size round diamond.
Clarity | Color | Cut | Shape |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
