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 cut | ||
| clarity | ||
| colour | ||
| carat weight | ||
| certificates | ||
The Basics
The cut of a diamond is one of the fundamental attributes (one of the 4 C's) to knowing how to judge a diamond. Although it is often confused with the Shape of the diamond (Round cut, Princess cut, Emerald cut), it actually refers to how well the stone is polished from rough. A Premium cut gives a diamond a higher level of sparkle intensity. The angles and finish of the diamond determine its ability to reflect light. A better polish means a better reflective quality and hence a better sparkle.
The images below demonstrate the difference between well-cut diamonds and less well cut diamonds. In well-cut diamonds, light enters through the table (flat top) and travels through the stone from one side to the other before reflecting back out of the diamond. This reflected light creates the sparkle or bright fire effect that makes diamonds so brilliant to look at. In a poorly cut diamond, the light that enters through the table and then escapes out from the bottom or sides of the diamond rather than being reflected back. The less light that gets reflected back the less sparkly or brilliant the diamond appears.
77Diamond's classification
77Diamonds uses the classification of Premium, Good and Fair grades to help our customers differentiate between better and worse quality diamonds (worse quality stones are less sparkly but can offer better value for money).
Premium
Diamonds classified by 77Diamonds as Premium have a range of make which is generally recognised by professionals in the diamond industry as better quality diamonds. This category offers the higher level of sparkle and creates a good deal of dispersion or fire and is the finest money can buy.
Good
Diamonds classified by 77Diamonds as Good have a range of make that allows some light to escape during the reflective process. This category offers Good quality diamonds at slightly less expensive rates than Premium diamonds. However, the difference between a Premium diamond and a Good diamond is rarely noticeable, if at all, to a non diamond professional and may allow you to stay in a budget without sacrificing quality or beauty.
Fair
Diamonds classified by 77Diamonds as Fair have a range of make that allows light to escape during the reflective process. Although this may be visible to the untrained eye, this range does offer excellent value for customers who want their budget to stretch further. 77Diamonds does not normally carry this range of make, as 77Diamonds aims to provide only the highest quality diamonds to its customers.
Table 1: Grading parameters used by 77Diamonds to classify the diamonds
| Premium | Good | Fair & Poor | |
| Depth % | 58.1% - 63% | 56.1% - 65.5% | <56% or >65.6% |
| Table % | 53% - 63% | 53% - 65% | <53% or >65% |
| Culet | None - Medium | None - Medium | Slightly Large - Extr. Large |
| Polish | Excellent - Good | Excellent - Good | Fair and Poor |
| Symmetry | Excellent - Good | Excellent - Good | Fair and Poor |
Should you prefer a diamond with a different cut than the choice offered on the website, please contact Customer Services.