Diamond Cut
What is Cut?
Rather than describing the shape of a stone, cut refers to the proportion, symmetry brilliance and polish of a diamond. This means that the diamond cutter has taken into account the inherent characteristics of each individual stone and chose the best way to shape it to accentuate its beauty.
How does a diamond get its sparkle?
A diamond gets its brilliance and scintillation through expert cutting and polishing, which shapes its facets to reflect and refract light. When light enters through the top, a well cut diamond bounces it internally, and disperses it back through the top, creating its signature brilliance and fire.
The Perfect Cut
Diamond Cut by Depth
A diamond’s brilliance depends largely on the precision of its cut. With ideal proportions, light enters through the top (table), bounces off the sides (pavilion), and then returns through the top, creating optimal sparkle and fire. However, if a diamond is cut too deep or too shallow, light escapes through the sides or bottom, reducing its brilliance and beauty.
Master diamond cutters may sacrifice carat weight to perfect a stone’s cut, knowing that a well-cut diamond will outshine larger but poorly cut stones in both radiance and value.
Diamond Polish and Symmetry
Polish and symmetry are key elements of a diamond's overall cut quality. The diamond polish refers to the smoothness of the diamond’s facets, while symmetry describes how precisely the facets are aligned. A poor diamond polish, or rough facets, can diminish a diamond’s brilliance, as well as its value.