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Cut
Clarity
Color
Carat Weight
The only things humans can do to a diamond to affect its value is
to cut it. The color, clarity, and carat size of a diamond is determined
by nature, but only when a diamond is cut is its brilliance and
beauty truly exposed.
An uncut or rough diamond, in many senses, looks a lot like any
other stone. It's only when the stone is shaped and cut, when the
facets are created, that the diamond reveals its ability to play
with light and reward the viewer with a dazzling display of brilliance
and fire. When the facets, or faces, are created, the diamond goes
from a unremarkable stone to an object of extreme beauty.
There are many traditional cuts for diamonds, none more popular
than Round Brilliant. These diamonds, when viewed from the top,
are round, but contain 58 total facets, 33 on the crown or upper
part, and 25 on the pavilion or bottom part. This cut is elegant
and is the standard cut of diamond.
Other basic cuts are Emerald, Princess, Heart, Oval, Marquise, and
Pear. The Emerald cut is a square or rectangular cut with the corners
cut diagonally. There are usually two to four rows of facets parallel
to the center of the stone and the name comes from this cut's popularity
with emeralds. The Princess cut is a modified square or rectangular
cut, with many variations.
The Oval cut is oval in shape and is covered with rectangular facets.
The Marquise cut also has an oval shape, but the sides are curved
and ends are pointed. The Marquise cut originated in the 1700s and
may have been named after the Marquise de Pompdor, a mistress of
King Henry XV.
The Heart shape is shaped like a heart and is very romantic. If
this cut has a flat center (shield shaped cutlet), then it usually
has 32 facets on the crown. If no shield or cutlet is present, then
24 pavilion is common.
The Pear cut looks like a rain or tear drop. It may or may not have
a large flat or table facet in the center of the stone. The stone
will typically have 56 to 58 facets.
The one quality that can never appear on any diamond certificate
is the appeal the shape has for you. Many diamonds are cut to shapes
not mentioned above, and the Asscher, Cushion, and Radiant cut are
also very popular. |
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