DIAMOND CUT

In diamond grading, ‘cut’ refers to the quality of a diamond’s cut, specifically its proportions and symmetry. Aside from shape, the quality of a diamond’s cut determines its ability to capture and reflect light, thereby producing brilliance. In fact, many consider cut to be the most important factor when choosing a diamond.

Since the establishment of standardized diamond grading criteria, diamond cut quality is now described as being excellent (ideal), very good, good, fair, or poor. The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) has developed a cut grading system that can be broken into seven components:

1. Weight ratio- The appearance of the size of a diamond relative to its weight
2. Durability- The possibility of chipping or breaking due to an excessively thin girdle
3. Polish- How smooth or scratched the surface surface is after the polishing process
4. Symmetry- How well balanced and aligned the facets are
5. Brightness- Brightness created from white light reflecting from the surface and inside of the diamond
6. Fire- The dispersion of light into colors of the visible spectrum
7. Scintillation- flashes of light produced when a diamond is moved in light

How well a diamond is transformed from its rough form is a crucial factor in determining its final value.
Diamond cutting requires a high level of craftsmanship, and must strike the right balance between stone size and cut quality: Either produce a diamond that’s larger but less well cut, or produce a very well cut diamond that’s smaller in size?