What is diamond cut?
Excellent cut diamonds have a uniform and clear pattern of light and dark areas and provide the highest level of fire and brilliance, as nearly all incoming light is reflected through the table.
Very good cut diamonds are very similar to very good cut diamonds. They provide extraordinary brilliance and fire as most of the incoming light is reflected through the diamond table. However, the pattern of light and dark areas is slightly uneven due to a combination of a specific set of ratios.
Excellent and very good cut diamonds make up a large percentage of round brilliant diamonds on the market today. Additionally, nearly 55% of all-round brilliant diamonds graded by GIA receive an Excellent Cut grade. However, because diamond cut grades represent a range, experts do not recommend many of these diamonds.
The truth is, for round brilliant cut diamonds, there are some suggested proportions that can serve as a useful guide, but variations in a single factor can affect the overall balance of the diamond. Knowing a diamond’s cut grade is essential, but it’s also important to see a diamond with your own eyes, as two diamonds with an excellent cut grade may look and perform differently.
Cut is one of the defining characteristics of a diamond, referring to the precision of angles, proportions, symmetry and polish, which in turn directly affects the fire, brilliance and scintillation of the diamond.
In terms of cut quality, diamond-cut should not be confused with diamond shape (can be round, oval, cushion, pear, etc.) and facet arrangement (can be brilliant or stepped).
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) grades round brilliant diamonds on a five-point scale: Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor, with Excellent Cut grades providing the most brilliance and scintillation. As for other cuts, GIA does not provide cut grading, but there are some parameters that help evaluate the cut quality of a gemstone.
Diamond cut grades are based on seven factors – brilliance, fire and scintillation (how the diamond looks when viewed head-on), weight ratio and durability (how it is designed to ensure durability and optimal weight), polish, and symmetry (quality workmanship) ). Grades are determined based on the minimum evaluation a diamond has achieved on five of seven factors. For example, if a diamond is rated “Poor” for brilliance, the highest overall cut rating may be “Poor”. However, there are exceptions to polish and symmetry. A diamond with very good polish and symmetry may receive an excellent overall cut grade.
Cut quality is the greatest indicator of a diamond’s beauty and should take precedence over other characteristics. A colorless or flawless diamond can appear dull and dull without a particularly good cut. Poor precision, proportions, and symmetry do not produce brilliance and sparkle.
How Diamond Cut Grades Affect Price
Diamond cut prices are based on precision and quality. As the quality of the cut improves, you can expect the price per carat of a diamond to increase, which means a higher price for a premium cut diamond.
The reason for the price increase is that more rough diamonds should be removed to achieve the ideal cut proportions and symmetry. In other words, the material lost for better cut quality must be made up for with a higher price. Additionally, the skilled labor required to cut and polish high-quality cut diamonds costs extra.
It is worth mentioning that it is not feasible for cutters to turn every rough stone into a well-cut diamond because it is not profitable to do so. For example, colored diamonds are cut to get the best color possible, not to maximize brilliance and brilliance. As for colorless diamonds, in order to meet consumer expectations for carat weight, consumers who purchase such diamonds, intentionally or not, cut low-quality diamonds to maintain weight.