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Diamond Cut

A diamond's cut is not only refers to its shape, but also how effectively the stone can return light back to the viewer's eye. A well-cut diamond will appear very brilliant and fiery, while a poorly cut stones can appear dark and lifeless, regardless of its color or clarity.

Not only do well-cut diamonds appear more brilliant, they also generally appear larger than other stones of the same carat weight. An “ideal” stone has both increased brilliance as well as an increased diameter relative to more deeply cut diamonds.

 Ideal Cut Diamond

Diamond Anatomy

Each and every diamond has its own unique set of properties and proportions:
Diamond Cut Chart
  • Diameter: Width of a polished stone, measured from edge to edge.
  • Table: Largest polished facet located on the top of the diamond.
  • Crown: The top part of a diamond extending from the table to the girdle.
  • Girdle: The very edge of the diamond where the crown and pavilion meet.
  • Pavilion: The bottom part of a diamond extending from the girdle down to the culet.
  • Depth: The total height of a diamond measured from the table to the culet.
  • Culet: The small or pointed facet at the very bottom of a polished stone.

Understanding Brilliance, Dispersion & Scintillation

Well–proportioned diamonds exhibit three different properties: brilliance, dispersion and scintillation. As light strikes a diamond's surface, it will either reflect off the table of a polished stone or enter the diamond. The light that is reflected is known as the diamond's brilliance —the flash of white light one will see when looking at a stone. As light travels through a stone, some of the light rays are separated into flashes of color. This is known as dispersion. The result of dispersion—the separation of white light into its spectral colors— is known as fire. Scintillation is flashes of color that are viewable as an observer moves a diamond back and forth.

Putting It All Together

Use this interactive tool to see how depth and table percentages can affect the brilliance in a round diamond. Please Note: this example is for a round diamond only—fancy shapes have their own set of unique properties.

Diamond Cut

Hearts and Arrows True Hearts™

Our Hearts and Arrows collection are the ultimate expression of love - that's why we call them True Hearts™. Each and every diamond from our True Hearts™ collection is a lasting masterpiece, a perfect diamond.

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Diamond Table

The table is the top facet of a diamond, expressed as a percentage of the diamond's average girdle diameter.

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Ideal cut diamond

When you think of the word "ideal" as it refers to the cut of the diamond, you may think it means that the proportion and angles of the diamond are perfect. Well, you are right. An ideal cut diamond is a round, brilliant, or princess cut diamond that is cut to ideal proportions and angles and has excellent polish and symmetry ratings.

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