Diamonds are praised for their ability to exude light which creates intense sparkle. So often a diamond’s cut is thought of as only being a shape, such as round, square, or emerald; however, a diamond’s cut is actually about how a diamond’s facets interact with light. It takes precise artistry to fashion a diamond so it’s proportions, symmetry and polish deliver the ultimate return of light.
A diamond’s cut is absolutely critical to the diamonds beauty and value. Of all the 4Cs, precise cutting is the most complex to analyze. This crucial aspect of cutting a proper diamond allows us to create desirable visual effects such as:
- Brightness – internal and external white light reflected from a diamond.
- Fire – the dispersion of white light into all colors of the rainbow.
- Scintillation – this refers to the sparkle a diamond produces, a pattern of light and dark areas caused by reflections within the diamond.
The GIA’s Diamond Cut Scale for standard round brilliant diamonds in the D to Z diamond color range contains five grades from excellent to poor (excellent, very good, good, fair, and poor).