Cut Color Clarity Carat Weight Jewelry Jargon

All You Need To Know When It Comes To... Cut First of all, Cut is not synonymous with shape.  The Cut of a diamond is what truly releases a diamond's beauty; and determines the value of a diamond.  Cut is also the most difficult quality characteristic to convey  to a customer because it requires the most amount of training, experience, and equipment to determine. Cut actually refers to a diamond's proportions and finish.  Maximizing a diamonds Cut or Symmetry, maximizes the ability of the diamond to refract and reflect light, thereby creating "fire" and "scintillation" as the light is dispersed.  If the diamond is cut too shallow or too deep, the light will "leak" through the diamond and not produce the dispersion of light created by proper cut. Round Brilliant, Radiant, Oval,, Emerald Cut, Pear Shaped Diamonds Understanding cut is complicated even more through the use of "branded" marketing terms.  You may hear some of the following terms used when describing cut:  Ideal Cut, Tolkowsky Cut, 60-60 Cut, Hearts & Arrows Cut, Premium Cut.  Are we confused yet? Presently, the reports provided by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) will assess cut grade using one of the following terms:  Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, and Poor.  Most consumers have difficulty determining the differences between cut grades of Good and Very Good.  That does not mean there is not a difference, it only means that the untrained eye has a difficult time determining the difference. Our goal is to provide you with the basics concerning Cut, while encouraging you to remember: "Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder"