Why is the cut of a diamond important?

Diamonds are one of the best rocks to reflect natural light one of the factors that contributes to its beauty is the way it glistens and sparkles. It is surprising to some people to know that when a diamond is found in its natural state it is quite dull and rough looking it is not very beautiful to look at initially and can be passed up as a worthless piece of rock it is only when the rock is cut and polished does it become the sparkling mesmerizing gem of all gemstones. The cut is the most important factor when making a diamond sparkle and it is a very professional and artistic craft that comes in many different shapes and styles to suit different tastes.


The cut of a diamond has a significant effect on the valuation of the gem. A cut must be perfect and precise in order to allow the diamond to sparkle to the best of its abilities; you can ruin a perfect diamond by not giving it a precision cut worthy of the stone. The process of cutting is done now days buy precision laser cutting it is a very mathematical process that is overseen by the International Gemology Institute and they dedicate a lot of there time appraising and analyzing diamond cuts.



What are the most popular diamond cuts?

The most spectacular cut for diamond rings is the “brilliant cut” which is a process that has many precision cuts to the stone making the top round and then descending into a cone shaped narrow bottom this is the typical diamond shape. The wide round top maximizes the amount of light entering the stone and each cut along the way is placed to encapsulate the light inside as to make the stone shine. Around 50% of the stone is lost to the cutting process leaving tiny chips of diamond that can be used in the making of smaller diamond jewels. The larger whole pieces having the most value of course than the smaller chips.


The brilliant cut method is performed on rough diamonds that have a shape similar to the standard diamond symbol this way two cut diamonds can be produced from the one stone making less left over pieces. Rough diamonds with other shapes have to be cut to match there natural shape there are different cuts that accommodate this called “fancy cuts” which allow the true shape of the diamond dictate the style of cutting that will prove to cost less wastage of the stone.


The “princess cut” is the second most popular cut to the brilliant cut. It is shaped like a reversed pyramid leaving a flat surface and pointed end. This was developed in the 1960’s and was modeled after the popular “French cut” at the time. This cut utilizes 80% of the natural diamond making it more economic for manufacturers and cheaper for consumers which is why it is the most popular choice for engagement rings.