Choosing Your Diamond Cut

When choosing a diamond, it’ easy to see why the 4 C’s matter—the size of your bling is important of course, and the shape makes a big difference. But how important is cut, really? What difference does it make to the overall look of your ring? And what is cut anyway?

Cut does not, as many people think, refer the shape of a diamond. The term might be better explained as “cut quality,” the quality and precision of the cutting of the stone, as well as the positioning of the facets. The symmetry of the facets is caused by the cut, and therefore most of the shine and brilliance of the stone are a direct result of the quality of the cut. A poorly-cut diamond may rank high on carat weight and color, but without top marks on cut quality, it just won’t have the sparkle.

Many diamond cuts have been developed that make the most of a diamond’s natural beauty. The best cuts are those with the most symmetrical arrangement of facets, which directs and reflects the light that enters the diamond for maximum brilliance, or sparkle. In modern times, laser cutting and computer-guided designs have been developed to reach a level of cut complexity and precision previously thought impossible.

The round brilliant is one of the most popular diamond cuts, and for good reason. The facet arrangement on a round brilliant hews closely to the ideal cut arrangement. An ideal cut diamond is considered the ideal balance between two primary optical features of a diamond: the luster, or light reflected off the surface, and the internal reflection, the light that travels through the diamond.

A cut that is too deep or too shallow may maximize the carat size and make a modest diamond look bigger, but the decreased cut quality will cause too much light to escape through the bottom or sides of the stone, decreasing the internal reflection. Although all diamonds look sparkly under the bright lights of the jewelry store, only a diamond with high cut quality, like an ideal cut, will continue to glimmer even in low light conditions.