Here in the US the ideal pavilion depth is considered to fall in between 1/3 & 2/3, although some of the foreign Trilliants often display 50/50 proportions. To secure the ideally shaped Trilliant, try to find one that has a length-to-width ratio of 1:1.
Here in the US the ideal pavilion depth is considered to fall in between 1/3 & 2/3, although some of the foreign Trilliants often display 50/50 proportions. To secure the ideally shaped Trilliant, try to find one that has a length-to-width ratio of 1:1.
Round / Round Brilliant Cut Diamonds
Visit Whitefacet.com to search for certified loose diamonds.
Radiant Cut Diamonds
As with most fancy-shaped Diamonds do be conscious of the fact that if you select a Color of I or less, you may well have to suffer some visible Color in the corners of the stone.
Princess Cut Diamonds
Pear Cut Diamonds
Not unlike the Marquise Cut , the Pear Cut has a slimming effect on the wearer's finger.
Length to Width ratio seen as ideal is 1.5:1, whereas realistically providing you stick to a ratio of between 1.5-1.7:1, you will still secure a Diamond that is aesthetically pleasing and a real joy to look at.
Oval Cut Diamonds
Oval Cut Diamonds are not dissimilar to Round Brilliant Cut Diamonds and the brilliance they often display is very nearly equal to that of a Round Brilliant Cut. The other major positive with an Oval Cut stone is that the shape can be used to effectively accentuate longer, slender fingers.
As with all Diamonds one factor of major importance is what you, the customer wants or expects from their Diamond. What is right for one (or even the masses) may not be right for you as an individual.
Any Diamond Broker / Dealer / Retailer / eTailer worthy of your attention should offer you a reasonable time-scale with which you have the Diamond to decide whether you like it & to have it checked out independently by someone else as well if you so wish. (The usually accepted time period tends to fall anywhere between 15 and 30 days, giving you plenty of time to decide whether or not you have found the right Diamond for you).
Having said all of the above, here comes the usual length to width ratios:
Acceptable is anywhere from 1.5-1.75:1, whereas the most desirable is said to be 1.5:1.
Marquise Cut Diamonds
The shape of Marquise Cut Diamonds is a shape that is designed to maximize the Carat weight of a given stone. If not set with other Marquise Cut Diamonds, then Round Brilliant or Pear are the shapes / cuts that complement the Marquise the most effectively. The Marquise is an excellent choice for people wanting to make their fingers appear longer and more slender.
Acceptable length to width ratios are generally from 1.75-2.25:1, whereas those of you seeking the closest to perfect you can get should consider the length to width ratio of 2:1, universally considered to be the most aesthetically pleasing.
Heart Cut Diamonds
Don't be too quick to let this put you off though - remember certain inclusions, or even patches of visible Color may well be hidden by your setting if you choose this wisely. If in doubt - Ask!
Emerald Cut Diamonds
The down-side with the Emerald Cut is the fact that this particular shape serves to exaggerate the Clarity of a Diamond and does so even so much as to determine that if you were to choose an Emerald Cut Diamond with an SI1 Clarity (normally an eye-clean Clarity) you would need to take care and pay particular attention to the Diamond Certificate's plot and where what inclusions were contained.
With this shape you should really take professional advice before purchasing and adopt a look before you leap mentality so as to ensure that you get the right stone for you.
With regards to length to width ratios, acceptable ratios are widely considered to be 1.55-1.75:1, with a beautiful and very desirable shape likely to have a length to width ratio of somewhere between 1.30-1.40.
Cushion Cut Diamonds
Whilst I am the first to ask why, the answer is actually very simple......Cushion Cut Diamonds enjoyed excellent popularity around 100 years ago, before the event of electricity.
One very important factor to consider if you choose to buy a Cushion Cut Diamond is Clarity as the larger than average facets tend to accentuate any inclusions that are present.
It is generally accepted that good-looking length to width ratios fall between 1:1 & 1:2.
Baguette Cut Diamonds
Yes it's true. This may be unbelieveable to some but there are Diamond shapes named after those famous French breadsticks, or "Baguettes"!
There are two main types of Baguette Cut / Shaped Diamonds - The regular Baguette Cut (sometimes referred to as the Pronounced Baguette), and the Tapered Baguette.
It is very unusual to come across large sized Baguettes; This shape is usually used to accompany and complement other larger Diamonds and Baguettes predominantly play the role of the smaller stones in any given setting.
Baguettes, be it "Pronounced", or "Tapered" have acceptable length to width ratios of 1.5-2.5:1, with the optimum proportions generally considered to be 1.5:1.
Asscher Cut Diamonds
Asscher shaped Diamonds are not unlike Emerald Cut Diamonds, with the main difference being the fact that Asscher shaped Diamonds are square.
There are two very important considerations to be made when selecting an Asscher shaped Diamond - Color and Clarity.
When selecting the Color for your Asscher shaped Diamond, consider carefully the fact that Color may be slightly visible in the corners if you were to choose an I Color or less.
Also remember that the shape of an Asscher Diamond highlights the Clarity of the stone so be sure to find out exactly where any inclusions are present.
Lastly you need to pay attention to the dimensions of the stone:
The preferred length-to-width ratio is 1:1. However, the acceptable length-to-width ratios fall between 1-1.4:1.
Diamond Terms Glossary - Anatomy (1)
Diameter: The width of the Diamond as measured through the Girdle.
Table:The largest facet of a gemstone.
Crown: The top portion of a Diamond extending from the Girdle to the Table.
Girdle: The narrow band around the widest part of a Diamond.
Pavilion: The bottom portion of a Diamond, extending from the Girdle to the Culet.
Culet: The facet at the tip of a gemstone.
Depth: The height of a gemstone measured from the Culet to the Table.
Diamond Shapes
Asscher
Cushion (Pillow Cut)
Emerald
Heart-Shaped
Marquise
Oval
Pear
Princess
Radiant
Round Brilliant
Trilliant (Triangular Brilliant)
Rectangle (Baguette Cut)
Tapered Baguette
In order to make my explanations easier to understand from a lay-persons point of view my next posting will comprise solely of regularly used Diamond Industry terminology and explanations of what they all mean - call it a dictionary / glossary, whatever you prefer, but I really hope it helps.
Fair & Poor Cut Diamonds
Good Cut Diamonds
Very Good Cut Diamonds
Premium Cut Diamonds
Premium Cut Diamonds are generally almost as well cut and sometimes as well Cut as Ideal Cut graded stones, although often priced a little more competitively.
A Premium Cut Diamond is still cut with the intention of obtaining the greatest fire and brilliance from any given Diamond and very much like the Ideal Cut stones these are very much for the individual who craves the best that money can buy.
Ideal Cut Diamonds (Additional)
Ideal Cut Diamonds
Diamond Cut Classes - What is well Cut?
Well Cut is a term used for a Diamond that has been cut to proper proportions and where light entering the top of the Diamond is reflected from one facet (cut, polished surface) to another and then dispersed through the top of the Diamond (table). Within the Well Cut standards we have Ideal, Excellent and Very Good Cut categories.
- Ideal Cut: This cut combines the best in fire & brilliance. A truly awesome sparkling Diamond.
- Excellent Cut: The stone exhibits great beauty, yet with a slight flexibility of percentages.
- Very Good Cut:This range of Cut balances precise proportions with price considerations.
Diamond Cut Vs. Light Reflection / Refraction
In order to better understand Cut, we need to firstly understand what Cut means in terms of fire & brilliance and light refraction.
The diagram to the left aptly shows what happens when a Diamond is Cut ideally, Vs. what happens when the stone is not Cut well.
The top picture shows an Ideal Cut Diamond - you can clearly see that the light entering the Diamond is reflected from one facet to another and eventually is reflected back through the top of the stone in its entirety resulting in a brilliant, sparkly Diamond.
Diamond Cut
How Does Clarity Effect The Appearance Of A Diamond? (Cont.)
Whilst Cut is the major influencing factor determining how bright a Diamond appears, even an Ideal Cut Diamond that has notable inclusions or imperfections can have a duller appearance than a less well cut stone with very good Clarity.
Put very simply, certain inclusions could have a negative effect upon how light is refracted and diffused once it has hit the Diamond. Any questions? Email me.
How Does Clarity Effect The Appearance Of A Diamond?
Diamond Clarity - What You can Expect (Explained)
Next time we'll talk about how inclusions (Clarity) affect a Diamond's appearance.
FL, IF Diamonds:
These diamonds are the rarest and most expensive. Diamonds graded as FL (Flawless) contain no internal or external flaws, whereas Diamonds graded as IF (Internally Flawless) contain no internal flaws. Both FL & IF quality Diamonds are very rare.
VVS1, VVS2 Diamonds:
An excellent quality diamond. Very, Very Slightly Included: Very difficult to see any inclusions, even when viewed with a 10x magnification loupe. Inclusions in Diamonds of this Clarity grade will likely only be spotted by an experienced Diamond Grader.
VS1, VS2 Diamonds:
A lesser quality than the VVS1 or VVS2 grades, known as Very Slightly Included: Inclusions are not typically visible to the unaided eye, but are viewable by an experienced Diamond Grader using a 10x magnification loupe.
SI1, SI2 Diamonds:
This grade represents very good value and are known as Slightly Included: Inclusions are visible under 10x magnification, and may be visible with the unaided eye.
I1, I2, I3 Diamonds:
These diamonds contain inclusions that are visible to the naked eye. I grade diamonds are often purchased by customers seeking the largest stone possible for their money and those who are not concerned about inclusions.
Diamond Clarity - What Does It Mean?
The purpose of this post is to keep it short & sweet. Check out the Diamond Clarity scale.......
I'll give you some time to view this diagram & I'll come back later with some more information on each of the different Clarities. If you can't wait, simply click on the hyperlink above. 'Till later.....
Diamond Weight Vs. Diamond Size
Some useful examples of Diamond weight vs. Diamond size
0.25 Ctw - approximately 4.1 mm in diameter
0.33 Ctw - approximately 4.4 mm in diameter
0.50 Ctw - approximately 5.2 mm in diameter
0.75 Ctw - approximately 5.8 mm in diameter
1.00 Ctw - approximately 6.5 mm in diameter
If you want more info on this topic or any other posts, email me. I am always happy to help in any way that I can.
Diamond Weight History - An Interesting Fact
Believe it or not, before we had sophisticated measuring devices, the weight of a Diamond was measured against the seeds of a tree! The seeds used were Carob tree seeds (pictured right) and the reason they were chosen was for their amazing uniformity in weight.
How Heavy? Carrots?
Diamonds are always measured to the nearest hundredth of a Carat. Carats are then further divided into points. Points are used to describe Diamonds of sizes less than one Carat in weight. Eg: A hundredth of a Carat is also called a point.
Updated Diamond Color Chart
Diamond Color - White Diamonds - Learn Something
Diamond aficionados would prefer to go for a colorless Diamond with a grade of D to F - this of course is as long as they have the money to do so.
For the rest of us (or those of us with the average budget) we would more likely to go for a Diamond in the G to I Color range.
The other option that we have of course is to go for a colorless stone, but compromise on the Clarity of the Diamond, the subject of our next post. Use our Loose Diamond Search to help you establish an idea of how color affects a Diamonds price.
Let's Talk About Diamonds
Buying Diamonds can be a daunting experience, especially if you've never done it before, but owning and wearing Diamonds is never a chore and always sure to bring on the sunshine and lift your mood.
We aim to give you the opportunity to become more informed using our blog, our website and other sites that we mention or discuss as tools to increase your knowledge and comfort level before you join the ranks of proud Diamond owners & lovers all over.
You'll need to consider the 4C's closely - Cut - Color - Clarity - Carat and learn as much about them as you can, something we hope to help you with over the next few weeks, months, or as long as you need information. Never hesitate to comment, be it good or bad - we will respond promptly and do appreciate your feedback.
Until next time...
Where Do We Start?
In The Beginning....The Boring Stuff.....
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