Four Answered Questions About the Importance of Excellent Cut Diamonds
If you watch television, you have probably seen AT&T’s newest commercial campaign “Oftentimes just OK is just not an option!” A mother and son asking if their carnival ride is safe, a nervous hospital patient asking if their surgeon knows what they're doing; no one wants to hear someone or something they are trusting is “just OK.”
This concept comes into play when buying a diamond. Buying a diamond or an engagement ring, is a huge investment. As a buyer, you want to ensure the diamond you’re buying is worth the money you are spending on it. Your diamond should never just be “OK.” That’s why at King of Jewelry, it is our policy to only sell excellent cut diamonds.
A diamond has many elements, the most important being how it is cut. The cut of the diamond, compared to color, carat and clarity, is the most influential factor when appraising the diamond for cost. The more precise the cut of the diamond is, the more it will sparkle, shine and..impress your friends and family.
HOW DOES THE GIA DETERMINE CUT GRADE?
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has five categories for describing the cut of a diamond; Excellent Cut, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. The cut grade is determined by seven factors; BRIGHTNESS; the way white light reflects off a diamond, FIRE; the scattering of light into all the colors of the rainbow, SCINTILLATION; the pattern of bright and dark areas caused by reflections within the diamond as it or the light source moves, WEIGHT RATIO; the carat weight compared to the surface area of the diamond, DURABILITY; ability to withstand wear, heat, and chemicals, POLISH; overall quality and condition of the facet surfaces and SYMMETRY; the exactness of a finished diamond’s shape and the arrangement and placement of its facets.
WHAT MAKES A DIAMOND AN “EXCELLENT CUT?”
According to the GIA, a diamond must have an even pattern of bright and dark areas to be considered Excellent Cut. It also has to score high in excellent polish grade and excellent symmetry grade. It is important to note that no diamond is the same and although two diamonds may fall into the same category, they could still be very different when considering the finer details.
The next cut, Very Good, means there is a slight darkening within the table of the diamond and the upper-girdle facets. While the individual elements of a “Very Good” cut diamond are not enough to affect the sparkle and shine of the diamond, collectively they can give the diamond a darker look.
WHAT IF MY DIAMOND RATES HIGH IN CLARITY AND CARAT BUT LOW IN CUT GRADE?
The last three categories, Good, Fair and Poor, obviously greatly decrease the diamond in value. The cut of the diamond is so darkened inside that the diamond does not sparkle and shine, despite having a high clarity or carat.
WHY DOESN'T KING OF JEWELRY SELL ANYTHING BUT EXCELLENT CUT DIAMONDS?
There’s plenty more to be learned about the cut of a diamond and how important it is but at the end of the day, we don’t want our customers to spend money on a diamond that simply does not have the attributes that make a diamond so rare and special. You want your diamond to stop people in their tracks and say “Wow, he did a good job picking out that ring!” or “That diamond is so beautiful, where did you get it from?” King of Jewelry is in the business of making dreams a reality, not providing low-quality diamonds. We will work tirelessly to create you the most breathtaking, out-of-this-world, YET affordable engagement ring you’ve ever seen.
Author: Kenna Lee