Diamond Cuts

Of all the 4C's, cut is the one most directly influenced by the person who cuts the gemstone. The other three are dictated by nature. Gemstones are cut into a number of shapes, depending on the nature of the rough stone. The cut or make of a gemstone will dramatically influence its fire and sparkle, for it is the cutter's skill that releases its beauty and puts the facets at the correct angle so a colored stone has sparkle—each color is a separate art.

The correct cut of a diamond will bring out its true fire and brilliance; a correct cut allows the greatest amount of light to enter; reflect, and exit from the top of the diamond (see pleochroism ). If the diamond's depth is too thick, the light entering the diamond will be absorbed and refracted out the side of the diamond. Diamonds with thin, shallow depth will cause the light to pass through it—which greatly diminishes brilliance.
 

Gemstones can have one of several different shapes which are known as "cuts." Shape should not be confused with cut, one of the four major factors (the "4C's") that help to determine the value of a gemstone. The most popular of all gemstone "cuts" is the Round Cut.

Diamond Shapes are:

  • Round Cut

  • Emerald Cut

  • Oval Cut

  • Heart Shape

  • Pear

  • Marquise

The ideal cut is a mathematical formula for cutting diamonds to precise angles and proportions to gain the optimum reflection and refraction of light.
 

You may choose to compromise on color, clarity or carat-weight, but to ensure that you have the most brilliant possible diamond, you should never compromise on cut.
 

When a diamond is ideally cut, light rays from all sides are bent towards the center of the stone and are reflected back through the top in a blaze of light.

If a diamond isn't ideally cut, light will "leak" out through the sides or bottom of the diamond. The ideal cut guarantees you a spectacular balance of brilliance, sparkle and fire.

The Hearts on Fire diamonds that we sell, are the MOST ideal cut of any diamond available.  This gives the maximum beauty, but not weight. Because more of the original rough diamond must be sacrificed to achieve an ideal cut, only an extremely small percentage of diamonds are cut this way.  All diamonds have some brilliance, but an ideal cut diamond will offer the maximum play of light and sparkle.
 

When you buy a non-ideal cut diamond it will be cut to retain the maximum weight from the original piece of rough diamond. The extra depth or thickness of a non-ideal cut diamond may increase the carat weight of the diamond but the play of light and sparkle reduced.