| eal cut diamond means that the diamond has been cut | | | | Ideal Cut is the second from the highest cut grade |
| to a specific set of parameters required to produce | | | | possible. When Ideal proportions are present and the |
| the highest light performance possible. Light | | | | polish and symmetry are Excellent then the diamond |
| performance is the refraction and reflection of light | | | | will achieve its highest cut grade possible. Generally |
| that enters the diamond. In order to understand the | | | | speaking, an Excellent Ideal diamond will be the most |
| importance or significance of an ideal cut diamond | | | | brilliant diamond that you can purchase. There are |
| you’ll need to understand how the light is | | | | brand name diamonds that are cut specifically with the |
| intended to be harnessed by all diamonds. The light | | | | intent to reach these standards. Some popular ones |
| enters the crown of the diamond, the crown can be | | | | are Hearts on Fire, Peerless Diamond, Leo Diamond, |
| seen when you turn the stone and view it from the | | | | Biro88, and the Princess of Hearts. |
| side. So the culet is facing down and the top of the | | | | Symmetry is when every facet is cut in the exact size |
| diamond is facing up, once in this position it is the upper | | | | and placed in the same position as the same facet on |
| most position of the stone. Upon entering the crown of | | | | the opposite side of the diamond. I’ll explain |
| the diamond, the light is reflected down to the pavilion | | | | further, examine the faceting pattern of a diamond |
| of the diamond. The pavilion is the cone shape part | | | | from the top of a stone and draw an imaginary line |
| with the point at the bottom of it. Next the light is | | | | through the center of the diamond. Once you do |
| reflected to the opposite side of the pavilion and then | | | | you’ll notice that every thing on the left side of |
| straight back at the viewer through the table. The table | | | | the stone resembles everything on the right side. If you |
| is the flat surface shaped like an octagon; this is | | | | add an extra imaginary line to create a top and bottom |
| located at the very top of a diamond. | | | | in addition to left and right (now you have a quadrant), |
| Now that you understand the intended path of light in a | | | | you’ll see that everything on the top looks like |
| diamond you should know more about the facets and | | | | everything on the bottom. When a diamond has |
| their unique relationship with one another. A facet can | | | | perfect symmetry the shape, size and placement of |
| be defined as any cut placed on a diamond or | | | | the facets from top to bottom and left to right are an |
| gemstone that has the intention to reflect light. The | | | | exact mirror image. If a diamond has poor symmetry |
| following cuts are all considered facets: Pavilion, table, | | | | then the images within the 4 quadrants become |
| girdle, cutlet, and crown. Each facet plays a part in the | | | | distorted. A diamond with perfect symmetry allows the |
| symphony of light reflection and performance. The | | | | facets on the top of the diamond to properly align with |
| example I always like to give is the reflection of light | | | | the pavilion facets. This will create a perfect path for |
| using mirrors. When I was a child I liked to play with | | | | light reflection and thus adds scintillation, brilliance, shine, |
| mirrors and watch the light reflect on to other objects. I | | | | and sparkle. The following grades for symmetry can |
| was intrigued with the notion of controlling the direction | | | | be seen on most lab certification grading reports: Poor, |
| of light, and sometimes I upped the ante by using two | | | | Fair, Good, Very Good, and Excellent. |
| mirrors while reflecting light from one to the next. | | | | Polish determines if the diamond has a smooth surface |
| Diamond facets work the same way and the facets | | | | or if it’s rough, pitted or abraded. To receive a |
| need to be in a specific position to catch the incoming | | | | high grade for polish a diamond’s surface must |
| light from their neighboring facets. When they are, the | | | | be smooth and free from polishing lines and abrasions. |
| light is reflected most efficiently and the diamond | | | | When a diamonds surface is poorly finished it will loose |
| becomes more brilliant and shiny. Sometimes | | | | brilliance and light reflection. If a diamond cutter is |
| you’ll notice that certain diamonds look | | | | successful in smoothing the surface of the diamond, |
| especially shiny or that there is something special | | | | he’ll eliminate any defects that will hurt the |
| about them. In most cases, those diamonds are | | | | stone’s brilliance. This will ad to the surface |
| probably an Ideal Cut or an Excellent Ideal. If you want | | | | reflection of the diamond. In effort to make it easier to |
| to learn more about a diamond's cut and brilliance visit | | | | understand you should think about your bathroom |
| our diamond education page. | | | | mirror. When you get fingerprints or film on the mirror |
| The three main variables that affect a diamonds light | | | | you’ll have trouble seeing your reflection. Once |
| performance are the polish, symmetry and proportions. | | | | cleaned, you can very easily see your reflection and |
| Proportions mostly affect the facets and their ability to | | | | everything becomes very crisp. A diamond’s |
| reflect light to their partner facets. When the | | | | polish works the same way and can benefit from |
| proportions are “off” in a diamond then | | | | being free of surface intruders such as polishing lines, |
| the facets become misaligned and the gemstone | | | | abrasions or pits. The following grades for polish can |
| looses light. If you turn the diamond to its side the | | | | be seen on most lab certification grading reports: Poor, |
| profile that you see is part of the proportions. If the | | | | Fair, Good, Very Good, and Excellent. |
| diamond is too tall then the facets don’t meet | | | | Examine the diamond’s certification to |
| up with their corresponding facets and once again you | | | | determine if it is an Excellent Ideal cut grade. To be |
| loose light. The same thing can happen if the diamond | | | | such, it should read Ideal under Proportions, and |
| is too deep. Proportions are measured by the table | | | | Excellent under Polish/Symmetry. If it isn’t |
| percentage, depth percentage, crown, pavilion, girdle, | | | | certified ask to use a firescope and examine the top |
| and culet. The jewelry industry has created an | | | | and bottom of the diamond. When a diamond is an |
| “Ideal”set of parameters for each of | | | | Excellent Ideal a natural phenomenon occurs that can |
| these measurements, when a diamond falls within | | | | be seen using a firescope. A perfect pattern of |
| them we call it an Ideal Cut. Meaning, the | | | | arrows appears on the top and a pattern of hearts |
| diamond’s proportions have been cut to | | | | can be seen from the back, this is how Hearts on Fire |
| produce the most amount of light possible. An ideal cut | | | | diamonds got their name. Until Recently, only a round |
| is an actual grade or rating for cut when referring to a | | | | diamond could be cut well enough to display the |
| diamond’s proportions. | | | | Hearts and Arrows. The company that makes the |
| Gemologists and diamond graders for the cut | | | | Princess of Hearts now produces princess cut |
| commonly agree upon the following grades: Poor, Fair, | | | | diamonds that are cut perfectly and display the hearts |
| Good, Very Good, Ideal, and Excellent Ideal. Excellent | | | | and arrows. To view an amazing collection of |
| Ideal is when a diamond has perfect proportions but | | | | perfectly cut ideal princess diamonds use the rokstok |
| also has perfect polish and symmetry. The | | | | diamond search. |
| GIA’s (Gemological Institute of America) and | | | | Keep in mind that you don’t need a perfectly |
| EGL’s (European Gemological Laboratory) | | | | cut diamond in order to own a pretty gemstone. |
| highest grade for polish and symmetry is Excellent. | | | | However, if you want to own the most brilliant and |
| The AGS’s (American Gem Society) highest | | | | shiny diamond that money can buy then you should |
| grade is “0”. With that being said, an | | | | consider an excellent Ideal. |