All three quality
factors of Cut, Color, and Clarity can dramatically affect the beauty and value
of a diamond. Because of cutting, diamonds with the same color and clarity
grades can vary in value by as much as 50% or more.
How a diamond has
been cut, polished, and to what proportions and symmetry, are of utmost
importance since these factors determine the life, brilliance and dispersion of
the diamond. If these cutting factors fall below standard, the appearance of the
diamond will be adversely affected.
Poor Cut:
When diamonds are
cut to save weight they are either cut too deep or to shallow.When a diamond is
cut too deep, light leaks out of the bottom, brilliance is lost and the center
of the diamond will appear to be dark.
When a diamond is
cut too shallow light leaks out of the bottom, brilliance is lost and the
diamond appears watery, glassy and dark.
Ideal Cut:
What is
"Ideal Cut"?
An ideal cut is a
diamond that has been cut to ideal proportions, with 58 facets precisely
proportioned.
Ideal cut
dictates that every facet be placed at exact angles and proportions that create
an ideal balance between maximum brilliance and dispersion of
light.
In order to gain
this effect the diamond cutter may have to sacrifice carat weight to yield a
smaller but more superior and sparkling stone.
The most
important features that discern an ideal cut from a regular diamond is the way
in which the stone is finished in its angles and in its polish and
symmetry.
Only a small
percentage of polished diamonds are cut to these highest standards.
Light entering
the diamond reflects internally from facet to facet and is refracted through the
top only, creating maximum brilliance.
An
ideal cut diamond is a round brilliant cut diamond within the following
proportions:
- Table
diameter - 53% to 57% - Crown angle - 33'' to 35 - Pavilion depth - 42.5% to 43.8%
- Girdle
thickness - thin, medium, slightly thick. - Culet size - none, pointed, very
small, small, and medium.
Poor Vs. Ideal
Cut
Hearts and Arrows And
Only
the perfect cut and polished diamond gives the
desired result of "H & A" Hearts and arrows
effect.
And
It comes as a
visual pattern of 8 hearts while looking down through the pavilion and 8 arrows
when viewing the stone in the table up position
The 8 arrows
visibile from the crown side are the 8 pavilon main facets, while the 8 hearts
visible through the pavilion side are created by reflection of 16 lower girdle
facets, in the table of the stone.
What truly
makes these diamonds so remarkable is the amount of light they produce. A
complete 'Hearts & Arrows' pattern has an average light return of
98%.
One can see why
all the facets must be exactly the same shape and size. If the cut of the
diamond is even slightly asymmetrical, the result will be a distorted, crooked,
uneven or incomplete pattern.
The
following pictures show how it should NOT look
And
