The term cut, when applied to a diamond refers to the processing of a diamond according to precise mathematical formulas, resulting in a gem of perfect proportions. The cut of a diamond is perhaps the most important of the 4 c's, as a poorly cut diamond of otherwise good color and clarity will lose value and beauty.
The most common cut, and the most favored, is the brilliant cut. The brillaint cut causes the diamond to reach its fullest potential. This cut is most commonly applied to the round shape, but may also be found in pear, oval and marquise shaped stones. The brillaint cut is comprised of a total of 58 facets distributed through the diamond as follows:
The
upper region of the diamond, called the crown, is cut with 1 table,
8 star facets, 8 kite factes and 16 upper girdle facets, resulting in a total
of 33 facets. This can be seen on the opposite image.
The lower region of the diamond, called the pavillion, is cut with 8 pavillion facets and 16 lower girdle facets for a total of 24 facets.
A connoisseur will assess several criteria when judging the quality of a diamond's cut. Of these, symmetry is the most important; even a diamond with 58 facets may be flawed if the cut is assymetrical. A perfectly symmetrical diamond is said to have an ideal cut. In the ideal cut, all light entering through the top of a diamond reflects off the facets and exits through the top of the gemstone. It is this effect of light moving within the diamond that creates brilliance.A final not to the consumer; be careful not to confuse shape with cut. Shape refers only to the form of the diamond: round, marquise, baguette, emerald, princess and so on.
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