The cut of the diamond is often the single biggest factor that goes to determine the price tag that dangles from a beautiful diamond ring. Knowing how exactly the cut changes the final price can save you plenty on your next diamond ring purchase.
Why The Cut Matters
Diamonds are cut in such a way to maximize the sparkling and brilliance of the diamond when light strikes it- the fire, the sparkle, the overall visual beauty is what makes a diamond one of a kind. Before it is cut and polished, the diamond is called a rough diamond with close to no sparkle. Diamond cutting involves adding facets to the surface of the diamond, in such a way so as to refract and reflect incoming light in such a way to create the most amount of sparkle.
Cut Grades
Each diamond is given a grade of cut. Each grade of cut corresponds to the appearance and the price of each diamond. This gives you an idea of what you can expect from a cut, how the light dances around it and how rare it is:
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Excellent Cut Grade
This is the highest grade. These are the diamonds that are expertly crafted and cut precisely so as to create the most sparkle and brilliance. There is little to no leakage of light as it moves in and about the diamond. This is represented only in the top 3% of the diamonds.
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Very Good Cut Grade
This is a cut that has minimal light leakage. If you are on a budget then you can prioritize more on color, carat and clarity. This is the grade that makes up the top 15% of the diamonds that are available on the open market.
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Good Cut Grade
This is the grade that captures the high degree of sparkle. There is light leakage but the diamond still sparkles and shines brightly. Most of the diamond cutters intentionally make such a cut so as to get good proportions and get a particular style. This makes up the top 25% of the diamonds.
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Fair And Poor
There is sufficient leakage of light, and the diamond tends to be either too deep or shallow. There is little brilliance. This is a grade that is best avoided, and won’t make for sparkling jewelry.
Your taste and budget go a long length in deciding what cut suits you best. Having an experienced gemmologist ready to help you when you are making a diamond ring purchase certainly doesn’t hurt.