Diamond Cut

Cut refers not to a diamond's shape (e.g. round, oval, pear, etc.) but to a diamond's proportions, symmetry and polish. The beauty of a diamond depends more on cut than any other factor. Though extremely difficult to analyse and quantify, diamond cut has three primary effects on appearance: brilliance (the brightness created by the combination of all the white light reflections from the surface and the inside of a polished diamond), fire (the dispersion of light into the colours of the visible spectrum, seen as flashes of colour), and scintillation (the flashes of light and dark, or sparkle, when a diamond or light source is moved).

When a diamond is fashioned from a rough stone, the cutter must balance optimal cut (and therefore appearance) against maximum yield (cutting the diamond to maintain as much carat weight from the rough stone as possible). Because many customers are willing to pay more for a larger, fair-cut cut diamond than for a slightly smaller, well-cut diamond, there is pressure on the cutter to sacrifice appearance for weight. This is why the Cut grade is so important; it allows the purchaser to identify those stones that were cut Fair to Poor in an effort to gain carat weight.

Above image shows the same rough stone (shown in blue) can yield one of two potential diamonds:

  • A too-deep cut diamond (orange) would yield a significantly larger diamond, earning the diamond cutter a larger profit on his investment.
  • A smaller, well cut diamond (white) may sell for less in total than the larger diamond, but it will command a higher price-per-carat not only because of its superior appearance, but also due to decreased yield from the rough stone (which therefore makes the diamond more expensive to create).


Diamond Cut Proportions
Diamond proportion refers to the relationship between the size, shape, and angle of each facet of a diamond. A wide range of combinations are possible, ultimately determining the diamond's interaction with light.

When light strikes a diamond, approximately 20% immediately reflects off the surface (as glare). Of the 80% that enters, a portion will escape through the bottom of the diamond (where the observer cannot appreciate it). A well-proportioned diamond will have each facet properly placed and angled so as to maximize the amount of light that reflects back out of the crown (top) of the diamond, to the eye of the observer. This reflected light is perceived as scintillation, fire and brilliance.

In the diagram below, three common light patterns are shown. When light meets any facet of a diamond, it will either reflect (bounce back) or refract (bend while passing through the facet). The angle that the light hits the facet determines whether the majority of light reflects or refracts, which is why cut is so important.

If the diamond cut is too shallow, entering light strikes the pavilion facet at a low angle and passes through the facet (refracts), escaping through the bottom of the diamond.


Diamond Depth %
Depth refers to the distance between the culet and the table when the diamond is viewed from the side. Diamond depth is expressed in millimetres, and is given as the third number under "measurements" for every diamond (the first two numbers are length and width).

The depth % of a diamond is calculated by dividing the depth by the width of the diamond. So, if a diamond is 3 mm in depth, and 4.5 mm in width, its depth % is 66.7. The lower the depth %, the larger a diamond of a given carat weight will appear (since most of the diamond's size is in its width vs. in its depth).

Diamond Table %
The table % of a diamond is calculated by dividing the width of the table facet by the width of the diamond. So, if the table facet is 3 mm wide, and the diamond is 4.5 mm wide, its table % is 66.7.



Diamond Proportion Diagram

The proportion diagram shows the diamond's girdle size, culet size, table and depth percentages, as well as other measurements, such as the crown and pavilion angles.

Each angle and dimension is measured electronically using a light scanner. The proportion diagram is a "fingerprint" of your diamond.

Evaluating the combined effects of facet shapes and angles, girdle width, culet size,polish and symmetry on the overall appearance of a diamond is a daunting task, even for professional gemologists. Fortunately, all of these factors have already been taken into consideration when calculating the diamond's Cut grade.
Because Cut grade provides a single rating which weighs the combined impact of all of the factors listed above on a diamond's visual performance, it is a simple yet vital tool in evaluating a diamond.

Cut grade should be a primary consideration when evaluating a diamond. Only when comparing two diamonds of identical Cut grade should the individual components of Cut (such as girdle width, symmetry, polish, depth%, table %, and culet size) be used as further refinements or tie breakers.

Maximum fire and brilliance.
Reflects nearly all of the light that enters the diamond, creating exceptional sparkle and life. of the diamond.