Diamond cut is one of the grading criteria used to assess an individual diamond, and to assess a value to it. The cut grade, along with the rest of these grades, can be found on the diamond’s certificate. Of all of these criteria, cut is probably the most complicated and least understood. Still, it’s just as important to understand what the diamond cut grade is and what impact it has, in order to make the most informed decision possible and get the best value when shopping for diamonds.
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Diamond Cut – The Basics
The diamond cut grade is basically an assessment of how well the diamond has been cut. Most diamonds are cut into one of several standard shapes, the most common of which is the round brilliant. Confusingly, many of these shapes are also commonly referred to as “cuts,” with names such as the emerald cut, the princess cut, and the cushion cut among the most frequently seen by shoppers. These terms refer only to the shape of the diamond, whereas the “cut” grade will appear on certificates for any diamond regardless of shape.
In most cases, the higher a diamond cut grade is, the more that diamond will retain and reflect the light with which it comes into contact. This phenomenon makes up a large part of the characteristic beauty of diamonds, so the cut grade has an important relationship to how a diamond actually looks to the naked eye.
There are different organizations that are involved in diamond certification, and each of them has its own method for assigning cut grades to diamonds. The methods used will also differ from one diamond shape to the next. For round brilliant cuts, factors that influence the cut grade include the number of facets on the diamond (an unusually high number of facets, which may be necessary in order to reduce the effects of natural flaws within the diamond, can result in a lower cut grade), and considerations regarding the diamond’s physical dimensions, including the height and angles of the diamond’s crown (the top) and pavilion (the lower, more elongated part).
Diamond Cut – What The Grades Mean
Another one of the complex things about the cut grade, from the buyer’s perspective, is that different certifiers and vendors use different terms to describe different levels of quality. Usually, “Ideal” denotes the highest grade, followed by “Premium” and/or “Excellent,” “Very Good,” “Good,” “Fair,” and finally, “Poor.” Some online diamond stores use special terms to mark the diamonds with the highest cut grades, such as James Allen and its “True Hearts” designation.
Diamond Cut – Finding The Best Value
The best diamond cut grades in terms of overall value to the consumer are usually “Very Good” or “Good.” Diamonds in this range will have cuts good enough to fully emphasize the natural beauty of the diamond. While higher grades are obviously of a higher quality, the difference can be difficult to determine with the naked eye. At the same time, higher grades carry higher prices, so essentially you’d be paying for a difference that you might not even be able to see. This is why the “Very Good” to “Good” range has the best value among diamond cut grades.
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