There are many factors that impact the beauty and appearance of a diamond. One of the most important, and often the most overlooked, is the diamond cut grade. When determining the cut grade of a diamond, some key factors include how the diamond interacts with the light, the quality of the polish on the facets and the symmetry of the those facets on the diamond. Get to know the five diamond cut grades and use this information to guide your choice of diamond.
There are many factors that impact the beauty and appearance of a diamond. One of the most important, and often the most overlooked, is the diamond cut grade. When determining the cut grade of a diamond, some key factors include how the diamond interacts with the light, the quality of the polish on the facets and the symmetry of the those facets on the diamond. Get to know the five diamond cut grades and use this information to guide your choice of diamond.
The best cut grade that a diamond can receive is excellent. This means that the diamond has achieved maximum brilliance, and it reflects virtually all of the light that enters the gem. A diamond with an excellent cut grade will have an even pattern of light and dark areas, and specially-designed optical measuring devices can carefully determine the measurements of the facets. The facets will be symmetrical and beautifully polished for the best possible shine and reflection. If you’re searching for the perfect cut, then look for a diamond with an excellent cut grade.
The next level of classification for a diamond cut grade is very good. Looking at a diamond from the top down, you might notice that a very good diamond has more darkness than is desirable. Some of the facets may be cut in a way that is not perfectly proportional, or some of the facets may not have been shined and polished in the right way. To the naked eye, this may still be a beautiful and reflective diamond without any obvious flaws.
The middle of the five categories for diamond cut grade is good. A diamond with a good cut rating is far from perfect, but it may be a good choice for those in search of value. These Diamonds are not cut to maximize their reflection of light. The girdle thickness may be less than ideal, which can impact how durable the diamond is.
The second-to-last classification for diamond cut is a grade of fair. A fair cut grade means that there is a lot of light escaping from the diamond, making its appearance less brilliant and sparkling than it could be. In larger Diamonds, a fair rating is less common. In smaller Diamonds of less than one carat, a fair cut may be less noticeable and less problematic for buyers.
The lowest cut grade for a diamond is the poor. When a diamond falls into this category, it means that the cut is subpar in multiple ways. Even to the untrained eye, a poorly cut diamond will look dull instead of bright and reflective. The diameter of the diamond could be off, or the facets may be the wrong size. Either way, the diamond isn’t living up to its full potential.