Diamond Cutting May 10, 2009
Posted by Jill Renee in : Buying Diamonds, Diamond Jewelry, Diamonds , trackbackWhen a diamond is first extracted from the earth it looks just as any other pebble or piece of rock you may have picked up on a beach and thrown into the sea. Many people never realize the fiery, brilliant stone they are wearing was formed at least 50 miles below the surface of the earth under the most intense pressure and extremes of temperature which compressed humble carbon atoms into a particularly strong atomic formation which gives diamonds their quality of strength and fiery beauty.
In order to bring this beauty and brilliance to the fore, the rough diamond must be cut and polished and how this process is performed will impact directly on how a diamond will look; a wrong cut will destroy the value of a stone and diminish its beauty while a good cut will enhance and amplify one of the world’s most beautiful gemstones and certainly, the most valuable.
Cutting a diamond is a highly skilled art form and requires a superb craftsman to perform the process. For some, cutting a diamond is a highly stressful experience, even for those watching – one slip, one unnoticed flaw in the planes of the diamond structure or a mistake made in the choice of cut to apply and the stone can become a worthless piece of rock; so important is the cutting process that over 40% of the value of the finished stone is applied by the cutting process.
There are many different types of diamond cut and which is applied to a rough diamond will be determined by the overall size, weight and shape of the rough diamond as well as the intended use of the stone – many diamonds never become part of a jewelry collection and instead, end up being used in industrial processes using their hardness for forming the points of drill bits for instance.
Common diamond cuts include:
- Round
- Princess
- Marquise
- Emerald
- Oval
- Heart
- Pear
By far the most popular cut is the Princess Cut, usually with the stone used as the centerpiece for a solitaire ring, very frequently the choice for an engagement ring. The Princess Cut provides a sparkling effect but uses a more contemporary square style. The Emerald cut provide an elongated rectangular shape which together with the Pear Cut look perfect on long fingers; the shape of the diamond you choose will be influenced by a sense of style and also the size of your lady’s hand and fingers. Using an elongated diamond shape (Pear or Emerald) will look better on a hand with short fingers because the shape will accentuate them; a long fingered lady is fortunate in that she can get away with any bold style of diamond ring!
The diamond cut is the only man-made part of the process which directly impacts the value of a stone – the other factors are the Color, the Clarity and the Carat (weight) which with the Cut are known collectively as the “Four C’s“. Combined together, the Four C’s are used to classify and grade a diamond for quality and in turn, to determine its value.
Read more about Diamond Cuts.
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