Among the four Cs of diamonds, the cut has a significant impact on a diamond’s beauty and value. A well-cut diamond captures and reflects light beautifully, enhancing its brilliance, power, and scintillation. The quality of the cut also affects how large, radiant, and attractive the diamond appears and precise artistry and craftsmanship are required to cut a diamond so that its proportions, symmetry, and polish.
The master craftsmen of our New Bond Street atelier, where all David Morris jewellery is made, are amongst the world’s most accomplished in amplifying a diamond’s beauty. The way in which a stone is cut is paramount to its final appearance and value; each precise facet determines how it will interact with light and produce the scintillating shine that only a white diamond can. This specific detail is central for those looking for the shiniest jewels on the shelf and want to make a statement.
Discover the different types of diamond cuts
What is a diamond cut?
Diamond cut is one of the four Cs of diamonds—cut, colour, clarity, and carat. It refers to the way a diamond’s facets are arranged, influencing how it interacts with light and ultimately determining its brilliance. Diamond cut consists of both cut quality and cut type and includes 3 main types: step cut, brilliant cut, and mixed cut. Each type of cut, as well as its cut quality, will affect what a diamond looks like and how it plays with the light.
Diamond Cut vs Diamond Shape
Diamond cut often gets confused with diamond shapes, but they are two different things, referring to a diamond’s outward, physical form. A shape also often holds symbolic meaning and is a form of self-expression, for example, round brilliant or emerald diamonds.
Diamond cut, on the other hand, refers to a diamond’s facets, symmetry, and dimensions. It expresses the way a diamond reflects light, not how the diamond is outwardly shaped. Emerald and Radiant cut diamonds are a perfect example of the difference between cut and shape. Both of these diamonds have rectangular shapes, but they feature alternate cut types. Emeralds have a step-cut with long, linear facets that create a “hall of mirrors” effect when reflecting light. However, Radiants have a brilliant cut which resembles crushed ice during reflection.
What are diamond facets?
Diamond facets are the flat surfaces inside a diamond that are arranged in a geometrical pattern, affecting how a diamond reflects and refracts light.
The number, shape, and arrangement of facets vary depending on the diamond cut and play a crucial role in how a diamond interacts with light, affecting its brightness, colour dispersion, and overall visual appeal.
What are diamond cut grades?
Diamond cut grades were established by the GIA to create a universal system for evaluating the cut quality of a diamond.
Gemologists use this method to assign one of five cut grades to a diamond, indicating the quality, not the type. When buying a diamond, always look for a diamond cut grade to ensure its quality and this will also be reflected through its purchase price.
Diamond cut characteristics
- Polish: The quality of a diamond’s external surface condition as a result of the polishing process.
- Symmetry: Symmetry is the exactness of a diamond’s external shape and the even arrangement of its facets. Therefore, it can be divided into two categories: proportion-related (external) and facet-related (internal).
- Proportion: A diamond’s proportion is measured by its crown and pavilion angles and the overall measurements of its facets. As facets are likened to tiny mirrors, their proportion can be a crucial contributor to the overall face-up appearance.
- Brilliance: Sometimes referred to as brightness, brilliance is the internal and external white light that reflects from a diamond. Each time light enters a diamond, its internal facets send it off in different directions, depending on the angle and tilt of the facets.
- Fire: Fire is the scattering of white light into the colours of the rainbow. Diamonds are excellent at scattering light and displaying it as a spectrum of colours that glint sparks of red, orange, yellow, green, or blue. Diamonds must be precisely cut for light to disperse in this form.
- Scintillation: Refers to the sparkle a diamond emits as you move it in the light: the facets split the white light into a spectrum of colours, creating sparks of light that appear to dance along the surface of the diamond. This is contrasted sharply against the darker, coloured flashes that refract through the inner facets. The symmetry and balance between lighter and darker spots form the overall sparkle.
How to determine diamond cut quality
Determining a diamond’s cut quality involves evaluating how well it has been proportioned, polished, and faceted to maximise brilliance.
Cut is graded by gemological labs such as the GIA and AGS, with categories ranging from Excellent or Ideal, which offer the highest brilliance, to Poor, where significant light leakage dulls the stone. Key proportions, including depth percentage, table percentage, and crown and pavilion angles, influence how light reflects within the diamond. Symmetry and polish also play a crucial role, ensuring even light distribution and a smooth, reflective surface.
Light performance is another critical factor, with brilliance (white light return), fire (colour dispersion), and scintillation (sparkle) defining the diamond’s visual appeal. By considering these factors, you can select a diamond cut that enhances its natural beauty and maximises its sparkle, making this especially important for jewellery such as engagement rings and high jewellery collections.
Diamond Jewellery Handcrafted by David Morris, the London Jeweller
Timeless, classic jewellery handcrafted with the world’s rarest, most unique stones. David Morris’s high jewellery collections are made up of white diamonds, rare coloured diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, opal and pearls. Reimagined in rings, necklaces, bracelets and earrings, our original stones have been influential for our house name and make for the perfect luxury gift. David Morris’s fine jewellery collections are also the perfect combination of innovative design and classic style. Handcrafted with fine gemstones and precious metals, our selection of rings, necklaces, bracelets and earrings come in a selection of collections and themes for a timeless impact.
