DIAMOND CUT

THE 4TH C

• FOR COLORLESS DIAMONDS    THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT C.
• A rough diamond after cutting, achieves a particular carat weight, color & clarity.
• Its ultimate beauty does NOT come from these 3 qualities.
  
• Diamond beauty results when faceting & polishing is performed to high standards
  
• More weight is sacrificed when cutting standards are increased.
  
• Many cutters prefer meeting a lower standard, with less weight loss resulting in higher sales volume & greater profit.
  
• Others specialize in highly precise cutting, releasing the maximum beauty possible for a diamond.
• Along with higher accuracy comes higher prices.

THE DIAMOND CUT GRADE

• 5 GIA CUT GRADES:                                                 EXCELLENT     VERY GOOD     GOOD     FAIR     POOR
• EACH area of cutting is graded AND an OVERALL cut grade is assigned.
  
• Warning:  An OVERALL cut grade CAN allow a combination of higher AND LOWER individual grades.  
•  THE GIRDLE: If too thin, it may easily chip;  If too thick, the diamond is harder to set & looks stubby.
• THE CULET:  If too big, allows light to escape.
• THE DIAMOND CERTIFICATE:  Important to have, since it authenticates the quality of your diamond.
• LASER INSCRIPTION OF THE CERTIFICATE # ON THE GIRDLE: Provides a permanent physical connection of the diamond to the certificate.
• THE LASER INSCRIPTION is also a safety feature.  You can be sure your diamond IS ACTUALLY your diamond, for example, after a ring sizing.

DIAMOND BEAUTY

• 3 ELEMENTS OF DIAMOND BEAUTY: BRILLIANCE      SCINTILLATION      FIRE
• Brilliance   --   the WHITE light reflected back to your eye.
• Scintillation or Sparkle   --   the ever changing reflections from multiple facets as the diamond moves.
• Fire   --   the rainbow spectum of refracted colors returning to your eye.
  
• 3 AREAS IMPORTANT FOR CUTTING     PROPORTIONS   SYMMETRY   POLISH
• Cutter's goal: All facets placed in symmetry, with correct shape, size, angles, aligned edges & vertices, highly polished, with no "hidden" facets.
  
• Marcel Tolkowsky calculated the ideal proportions & angles for a round diamond in 1919.
• Cutting only to ideal proportions does NOT guarantee maximum beauty.
  
• Cutting & polishing to the HIGHEST standards insures maximum beauty.