Diamonds sparkle. They reflect and refract light to show us their internal brilliance and fire. This is because of the nature of the diamond and because of how the diamond is cut. When choosing a diamond, make certain to consider the cut of the gem more so than the carat weight. A spectacular cut will make your diamond more beautiful and impressive than if you choose a larger carat weight with a mediocre cut. Here is why.
Why Are Diamonds Cut?
Going back hundreds of years, only rough diamonds were available. They were pretty but lacked the fire and sparkle that a well-cut diamond exhibits today. Starting in the 1400s jewelers began to polish diamonds and then to cut them, removing parts with flaws. As the years passed, diamonds were shaped to increase how well they reflected light and how well they absorbed light, refracted it internally, and returned the sparkle and fire that we know today in a well-cut diamond. These efforts culminated in the round brilliant cut which is used for about seventy-five percent of diamonds today. This cut is the most common because its combination of angles and polished surfaces maximizes the sparkle and fire of the natural gem.
Why Is Cut More Important Than Carat Weight?
Many choose a large carat weight because they believe this is a more beautiful and impressive diamond. But, what we first notice about a diamond are its sparkle and fire. A large, dull diamond is not going to be noticed or appreciated as much as a slightly smaller but brilliant diamond. When you choose a diamond, start by considering the grade of the diamond’s cut before considering carat weight.
What Is a Good Cut?
Brilliance, dispersion, and sparkle are the reasons you buy and wear diamond jewelry. The type and quality of the cut are more important than carat weight in getting these qualities in a diamond. How can you tell if you are getting the quality of cut that you want?
For the best results, a diamond cut needs to follow guidelines about the ratio of the diamond’s depth, table, crown, and pavilion depth to its diameter. The ideal ratios vary according to carat weight. The ideal diamond has the best balance between carat weight and the ratios used for the cut. Fortunately, you do not need to know the details. Gemologists grade diamonds for cut with grades ranging from excellent or very good to good, poor, or very poor. Your best choice for a diamond cut is excellent or very good. Before you consider different carat weights make sure you are comparing gems with the same grade of cut. The fortunate part is that you do not need to be an expert in grading the cut of a diamond. Gemologists do this and each diamond we sell at ID Jewelry comes with a grade for its cut as well its color and clarity.
For help choosing the best cut and carat weight for your diamond, talk to our experts at Id Jewelry.