Whether your diamond sparkles or just looks flat isn’t
necessarily an indicator of the quality of the diamond itself, but more about
the quality and style of the cut. The wow factor of diamond jewelry is also
defined by the setting, which plays a large part in the beauty of any piece, as
the setting and cut work together to bring out the shine, sparkle and
exquisiteness of these gemstones.
Unfortunately, for those that haven’t studied jewelry or
gemology, picking the right stone can be not only difficult, but really
intimidating. If you are purchasing through a reputable jeweler, you will
likely be very surprised at the knowledge they are willing to share.
In fact, this is often an excellent way to tell the quality
of a store. If they are willing to help and to explain the quality of the
diamonds that they are selling, even if
you are looking at the lower end of the price bracket (or look like you might
be), then they generally care more about the quality of their product than
their profit margin.
Of course, when you are looking to spend under $500 on a
nice piece or an engagement ring, going into a store with pieces that sell for
more than $50,000 can be very intimating – no matter how nice the staff are.
So, going in a little armed about what questions you should be asking and what
you should be looking for will often help.
Cut Versus Shape
This is often one of the first things that are talked about
when you are looking at different settings, and one of the more confusing areas
for a new shopper – but it doesn’t need to be.
The cut of a stone really refers to the proportions of the round
and princess cut stones and is a technical term used in the industry.
While the shape of the stone describes how it looks, whether
it is a pear shape, a heart shape, maybe round or oval and so on.
Carat Versus Cut
One thing to be aware of is that carat size does not
necessarily reflect the quality of the cut, and it has been seen that because
people have been convinced that a larger carat is worth more you will often see
poorly cut stones that have been cut so that the overall size of the diamond
has been maintained.
You may wonder why you can see a beautiful sparkle and fire
in one stone, but it is priced lower than similar one, often this is because
the more expensive item does have a higher caret. The reason they may look very
similar in size is because the smaller or less expensive diamond is of a far
superior cut, with perfectly proportioned facets, which may actually increase the
appearance of size to the naked eye – more so when combined with an excellent
setting made by a master goldsmith.
There are a lot of different cutting grades, but you should
be looking at something that has been certified by the Gemological Institute of
America (
see “GIA” here) or the
American Gem Society (“ AGS”) as these are the most accurate and consistent
quality of certifications.
The best
grades are a GIA Excellent or an AGS Ideal / AGS 0.
Can You Buy A Lower Cut Grade Diamond?
Generally, you wouldn’t want to purchase lower than a
something the GIA as certified as “Very Good”. A Very Good will still reflect
light well and look beautiful but may have a slight dullness. Whereas a “Good”
has little fire and looks dull and skipping down to a “poor” you will be moving
into more an industrial grade diamond with little value.
Ask to see the diamonds under magnification so that you can
see for yourself the difference in reflection. Even between top end cuts you
will see differences in the number and angle of facets in a cut, and this is
what is responsible for bringing out the inner shine. The “fire” is the inner
rainbow that brings the beauty to the piece.
