Diamond Cut Part 1: Table and Depth Percentage
Different aspects of a diamond
The cut of a diamond determines how well the stone reflects light. This reflection is responsible for the gem’s brilliance or overall sparkle. There are many aspects to a stone which contribute to angles and the cut form, as the diagram to the left indicates.
Diameter: The width of the diamond through the girdle.
Table: The largest facet at the top.
Crown: The Top part from the girdle to the table.
Girdle: The narrow band around the widest part.
Pavilion: The bottom part from the girdle to the cutlet.
Culet: The facet at the bottom tip. The preferred cutlet is not visible to the naked eye.
Depth: The height from the cutlet to the table.
Professional and skilled cutters cut the stone to mathematically precise proportions to allow as much light as possible to reflect from each of its mirror-like facets out of the top of the diamond.
What Makes a Diamond Sparkle?
Diamonds are notoriously known for their sparkle and shine, but in the rough this is not the case. The crystallised carbon has to go through several processes in order for it to look like the finished product. Included in these processes is the cutting and polishing of the diamond, which are the main factors determining the sparkle and lustre of the diamond.
Diamond Cut
Being one of the four C’s the diamond cut is signalled as an important factor when choosing a diamond ordinarily. The cut is frequently classed as the most important characteristic of a diamond, and has the greatest influence on the diamonds beauty and appearance. Therefore, it is also the greatest determinate in the general sparkle of the stone. The cut refers to the overall polish of the diamond from rough and is a measurement of the amount of light able to travel through the diamond. GIA rates the cut of diamonds on a scale from Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair to Poor.
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