Cut is arguably the most the most important of the 4Cs. The beauty of a diamond is in how it reflects light. Truly stunning diamonds reflect light gloriously display their fire and brilliance. The precise proportions of a well-cut diamond do not happen by accident. Diamond cutters expertly angle the facets to carefully direct the light.

What is Diamond Cut? 

A diamond's cut is how well it is cut and polished. This includes its proportions, depth, and symmetry. The shape of the diamond is not an element of the cut. A diamond could be oval or pear-shaped without that influencing the cut. The cut quality impacts beauty and brilliance, not the shape. A well-cut diamond is luminous, reflecting white and colored light. Poorly cut diamonds are flat and dull. As light hits the diamond's surface, some light enters the stone, and some light reflects from the crown facets. These reflections are referred to as the diamond's brilliance. Well-cut diamonds have more brilliance because the stone was cut on angles specifically to reflect the light back. That way, the light does not enter and leak out of the stone.

Any light entering ideally gets refracted internally within the stone and directed back out. Then, the refracted light disperses into a spectrum as it exits the diamond. This rainbow spectrum of colors is the diamond's fire. The best cut for brilliance may come at the expense of fire. So, a truly well-cut diamond has a balance between brilliance and fire. The sparkles a diamond makes when it moves are its scintillation. The goal for the scintillation effect is for the entire surface to sparkle with no, or few, dull patches.

Diamond Cut Grades 

 To determine the cut grade, a professional gemologist reviews the diamonds under magnification. The categories of GIA diamond cut grades are:

• Excellent 

         Excellent cut diamonds offer the highest levels of both fire and brilliance. Almost every drop of incoming light reflects up through the diamond's table. So, an excellent cut diamond shines with exquisite sparkle.

• Very Good

          A very good cut diamond offers outstanding levels of brilliance and fire. A majority of light entering reflects up through the table of the diamond. Very good diamonds offer a similar sparkle to excellent cut grade diamonds to the naked eye. 

• Good

         A good cut diamond will showcase sparkle and brilliance. Much of  the light reflects back up through the diamond's table to your eye. A good cut diamond will provide remarkable beauty, but a lower price.

• Fair 

         A fair cut diamond offers little brilliance. Light exits easily through the sides and bottom of the stone. A fair cut diamond often makes a reasonable option for smaller carats for side stones.

• Poor                                             

         A poor cut diamond yields almost no brilliance, sparkle, or fire. As the light enters it simply escapes through the bottom and sides of the stone.

In Conclusion 

So, the brilliance, sparkle, and fire is an exceptionally well cut diamond are worth the extra investment. Without these, your diamond appears less than radiant, regardless of the carat size. In other words, your diamond's cut most significantly affects the beauty of the stone and your jewelry. That's why we would highly recommend you focus your diamond investment on the cut.

 

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