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Fun fact: Only round brilliant diamonds receive a cut grade.
When a diamond catches your eye, you will probably notice its sparkle first. There is only one factor that contributes to the twinkle of a gem: diamond cut. This refers to the polish, proportions, and symmetry of a diamond—not the stone's shape. The quality of a diamond's cut determines the sparkle and overall beauty of the stone. Round brilliant diamonds are the only shape that receive a cut grade designation.
But before diving into all things diamond cut, understanding the anatomy of a diamond is critical—and jeweler Tanya Parikh has the perfect analogy. She compares diamonds to a slice of pizza. "Picture this: The crust is your crown. The girdle is the thin area that attaches the top to bottom, and the cheese is the pavilion of the diamond," she says (see the below graphic for more context). "In relation to the crust and cheese ratio, the crown and pavilion of a diamond must be proportional to allow for that great light return and sparkle."
Tanya Parikh is an experienced jeweler and the owner and co-founder of Janvier Diamond Concierge. She served as the president of the Women's Jewelry Association's Los Angeles chapter for three years and is a member of the Gemological Institute of America.
These perfect proportions make the magic: “If the proportions are correct, the light—even in the most dimly lit room—will play inside the stone and come back to the eye in the form of sparkle. That sparkle and fire in a diamond are what makes it very attractive," says Parikh.
A diamond can have gorgeous color, flawless clarity, and a large carat weight, but still be unattractive and undesirable—which is why cut is the most important component of the 4Cs. Ahead, Parikh shares everything you need to know about diamond cut, from the grading scale to the best cuts to choose when selecting an engagement ring.
There are two main components that determine the quality of a diamond cut. “The first is the actual material that is being cut. Being a natural product, diamond rough material will vary from stone to stone," says Parikh. "That being combined with the skills of a master cutter will unlock the life in the stone and give it its cut quality.”
The cut of a round brilliant diamond (and only a round brilliant diamond) is then given one of five gradings: excellent, very good, good, fair, and poor.
Courtesy of Amy Anaiz Photography
"The uniqueness of a diamond comes from the individual angles or facets of a diamond," explains Parikh. "There are multiple ways to facet a diamond, including a brilliant cut, step cut, rose cut, single cut, and more. These terms describe the placement of the facets which model the stone to sparkle in the way it ultimately does." Below, we explore the two most common cuts: brilliant and step.
With a brilliant-cut diamond, the majority of the facets are all angled towards each other, creating a kaleidoscope effect and a burst of sparkle. With a well-cut, brilliant-cut diamond, it is easy for its inclusions and diamond hue to be masked.
Coupled with its symmetrical shape and high demand, a round brilliant-cut diamond is the most expensive option on the market.
On a step-cut diamond, the majority of the facets are angled parallel to one another. This creates a stunning window into the diamond. Step-cut diamonds are typically very high in clarity because any inclusions are noticeable without magnification.
While shopping for an engagement or wedding ring, Parikh recommends having a very high threshold for cut tolerance. “If you go lower on the cut grade, it will take away from the life of the diamond," she says.
She also cautions couples to not let diamond shape overshadow the stone's cut. “In my opinion, the biggest mistake that clients make when buying a certain diamond cut is only recognizing the shape and not the proportions of the diamond," she says. "Often times, especially with online purchases, that can be lost in translation and a well-priced stone gets sold with a good, fair, or poor cut grade.”
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