When shopping for a diamond, you will read/hear about four categories that determine a diamond’s value. These categories are known as the four C’s. They are Color, Clarity, Cut, and Carat weight. Each “C” can drastically change the value and appearance of a diamond.
The majority of the time, a person trying to sell a diamond will spend a lot of time explaining and showing examples of the Color and Clarity of a diamond and only briefly touch on a diamond’s Cut.
With that being said, you may be naturally thinking to yourself that the Color and Clarity of a loose diamond are the two factors to really consider when making your purchase. As a certified diamontologist, I would tell you that while they are all important, most gemologists consider the Cut the most important of the four C’s and I agree. The Cut is the factor that is going to give your diamond that sparkle that will catch people’s eyes.
The technical term for a diamond’s Cut pertains to its light performance, dimensions, and finish. This “C” determines how the light will internally reflect light from one mirror-like facet to another and disperse and reflect it through the top of the stone.
So basically what this means is that the Cut determines how much sparkle and brilliance your diamond will have.
If a diamond has been cut too deep or too shallow, light can leek or be lost through the sides and bottom of the diamond resulting in a dull look.
The Cut is the only of the four C’s that is determined by a human. Skilled craftsmen create the angles and proportions to transform a rough diamond into a polished diamond. Color, Clarity and Carat weight are all determined by nature as diamonds are formed in the earth.
Many times the diamond Cut is confused with the diamond shape. Although they go hand and hand, the shape refers to the overall outline of the diamond when viewed from the top. A round cut diamond is by far the most popular shape followed by squared shapes such as princesses, emerald and Ascher.
Hopefully, you understand the diamond cut little bit better since the Cut is commonly the least understood of the four C’s. If you still are wondering what Cut to purchase and what price difference you can expect for a very good cut compared to a good cut, I encourage you talk with someone who really takes the time to educate you rather than up selling you to make a purchase you might not feel comfortable with. Each of the four C’s are very important, but it’s important to understand how a Cut can affect the sparkle and brilliance of your diamond. Click on the chart to view it in a larger size.
