The better a diamond is cut, the more easily it can reflect light and create sparkle. As part of the 4 C’s of diamond grading, and one of the most difficult to analyze, we are going to take a close look at what cut is. The factors that influence it and how you can select a stunning diamond with an excellent cut.
Get answers to the following questions:
What Is A Diamond Cut Grade?
As one of the official 4 C’s of diamond grading, cut grade indicates the cut quality and proportions of a diamond. Cut grade is crucial because it will detail how well light can travel through the stone.
Cut is graded on a scale from Excellent to Poor, where Excellent cut diamonds sparkle magnificently, and Poor cut diamonds appear dull and lifeless. The most desirable cut grades are Excellent and Very Good. Keep in mind that cut grades only apply to round brilliant diamonds, while fancy cut diamonds, such as emeralds and hearts, do not have official GIA cut grades.
Multiple factors influence a diamond’s cut grade, including:
- Proportion: Refers to the relationship between the size, shape and angle of each facet. Proportion is expressed as a percentage.
- Symmetry: Refers to how well the facets of a diamond align, including the table, crown, girdle and culet. Symmetry is graded on a range from Excellent to Poor.
- Polish: Refers to the degree of smoothness of each facet. When a diamond is cut and polished, microscopic defects may be created which can disrupt light from traveling through diamond. Polish is graded on a range from Excellent to Poor.
When light hits a diamond, it will reflect (bounce off the diamond’s facets) or refract (pass through a facet). The angle at which light hits a diamond’s facets determines if the light will reflect or refract. When light enters a well-cut diamond, it will reflect off of the diamond’s facets and refract out of the top of the diamond (known as its table) and produce maximum sparkle. However, if a diamond is poorly cut, its potential to sparkle will be diminished. For example, if a diamond is too shallow, light will exit the bottom of the stone and if a diamond is too deep, light will exit from its sides.
Benefits Of An Excellent Diamond Cut
As we discussed earlier, a diamond with an excellent cut grade will sparkle beautifully and look full of life. Below are the benefits to having a well-cut diamond:
- Brilliance: The internal and external white light reflected from a diamond.
- Fire: The scattering of white light into all the colors of the rainbow.
- Scintillation: The amount of sparkle a diamond produces when moved.
You may be wondering why poorly cut diamonds exist when the traits of well-cut diamonds are so desirable. When it comes to selecting a diamond, some people prioritize carat weight among of all the 4 C’s. To afford a sizable diamond, they might sacrifice the diamond’s cut grade or the clarity and color. Unfortunately, if the cut grade is greatly sacrificed, then the diamond will appear dreary. Also, if the diamond is cut too deeply, it can look smaller than a well-cut diamond of the same carat weight.
How To Upgrade Your Diamonds
After reading our in-depth guide about what cut is, you may be looking to upgrade your current diamonds to a fantastic cut grade. With myGemma, we can help you afford your perfect diamond. Sell or trade in your diamonds, jewelry and watches to the experts today.
- Get a price quote: complete our online form and receive your initial price quote.
- Get a final price:
ONLINE: we provide you with our free, safe, fully insured and overnight shipping label.
OR
BY APPOINTMENT: schedule an appointment at one of our comfortable and secure offices. We host appointments in New York, Hong Kong and throughout the UK.
- Trade in diamonds: Get a final price and get paid in cash OR in store credit for up to 20% more. Use your store credit to buy the diamond of your dreams.
Why Sell Diamonds To myGemma?
We are one of the leading, loose diamond, fine jewelry and luxury watch buyers with a secure and trusted buying process. Established in 2012, we now have an international buying presence with offices in the US, UK and Hong Kong. Our team of GIA trained diamond experts have the necessary skills and thorough understanding of the secondhand luxury market to accurately price your diamonds, jewelry and luxury watches.
Selling or trading in your diamonds, fine jewelry and luxury watches with myGemma is a simple, free and fast process. You can feel confident selling with us because of our A+ rating from the BBB, hundreds of positive customer reviews and 100% trust guarantee. We pride ourselves on our strong prices and speed of service: our entire process can take as little as 24 hours.
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