THE CUT OF A DIAMOND

Cut refers to the angles and proportions that a highly skilled diamond cutter creates in transforming a rough diamond mined from the earth into a polished diamond. Nature can determine so much about a diamond but it takes the skill of the cutter to reveal the stones true brilliance, fire and ultimate beauty.

Cut is the only one of the 4Cs that is influenced by the human hand the others are created naturally as the diamond is formed in the earth.

Diamond cutting requires great skills and many years of training. The cutter must polish tiny surfaces known as facets onto the rough diamond. This process is what creates the crown, culet, table, girdle and pavilion of the diamond.

The facets when arranged in precise proportions will maximise the diamonds individual brilliance and sparkle.

Cut also refers to the shape of a diamond-round, marquise, and princess cut for example.

A round (brilliant) cut is symmetrical hence it is capable of reflecting nearly all of the light that enters, it is the most brilliant of all the diamond shapes and follows the proportion guide lines. Non-round diamonds known as “Fancy Shapes” have their own guidelines to be considered well cut.

There are three basic types of cutting style that work in harmony to create a diamond’s brilliance, Step cut, brilliant cut and mixed cut the difference between the three types is the faceting arrangement of each style.

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