Diamonds are the hardest natural substance known to man. When cut and polished to perfection, it is one of the most beautiful and the most brilliant of any gem. When a diamond is mined, it doesn’t start out as a clear, polished stone; instead, it looks like a cloudy crystal rock. Like snowflakes, no two diamonds are exactly alike. It takes a master diamond cutter to determine the best cut that will use the raw diamond to craft the most beautiful gem that can be achieved. Often, much of the original carat weight will be lost in the process to create the most perfect diamond possible. One wrong cut at any point in the process will decrease or ruin the diamond’s brilliance and value.

A diamond owes its fire and brilliance to its ability to absorb, refract, and reflect light. Most gemologists consider the cut to be more important than the color or clarity. If poorly cut, even a perfect diamond will appear dull and lifeless.

Approximately 80% of all gem quality diamonds are cut in the round brilliant shape. The facets and angles of the round brilliant maximize the diamonds ability to reflect and refract light, making it the most dazzling of all the shapes. It is the only shape cut to standardized measurements, but all shapes have characteristics which indicate a well cut diamond.

Symmetry

Symmetry is vital to obtaining the maximum amount of brilliance. Balanced and aligned facets, and a centered table and culet, create the optimum sparkle and fire.

Polish

Once cut, every facet of the diamond must be polished. Sometimes this process leaves marks or scratches. A high quality polished diamond will have no or very few, minor marks. Poorly polished diamonds will not achieve their full potential for fire and brilliance.

How a diamond responds to light

1. [A] Reflection: When light hits the surface of a diamond, some of it enters the diamond and the remainder is reflected back out. It is the crown angles that cause the immediate reflection.

2. [B] Refraction: The light which remains in the diamond reflects toward the center of the stone. The light bouncing off the inside wall of the diamond is refraction.

3. [C] Dispersion: The light bursts through the top of the diamond. When the light exits the full color spectrum is visible.

The Perfect Proportion

The angle and depth of the pavilion must be accurate to catch the light and disperse it back to the observer. Too deep or shallow a pavilion angle will allow light to escape. Equally important is the crown; it is where the light enters and exits a diamond.

Fancy Shapes

Unlike the round cut, there are no exact standards of proportion for fancy shapes. An expert diamond cutter will use their skill to determine what shape will best use the raw diamond to its full advantage.

Our family is one of the largest diamond cutting companies in the world. Our experience and expertise allow us to choose only the highest quality cut diamonds for our clients.