Posted on Mon, Mar 16, 2009
Of all the tradeoffs and choices made in the selection of a diamond, the cut is the one thing that should never be compromised. The cut is the single most important element in determining how brilliant and beautiful the diamond is, and to sacrifice on the quality of the cut is to sacrifice the core beauty of the diamond.
To meet this standard, a round diamond must have an Excellent cut grade. At Kwiat, we have a stricter set of parameters that we apply, and so only a portion of the GIA's Excellent cut grade diamonds will be worthy of the Kwiat tiara logo. These parameters allow us to cut and identify the most brilliant of the round diamonds that have the largest size appearance.
The quality of the cut is equally as important in fancy shapes, although there is no cut grade on the GIA certificate to guide you. When looking at fancy shapes, it is critically important to have the help of a experienced and trusted advisor who can help you understand the different elements of the cut that make a diamond beautiful.
Posted on Sun, Mar 15, 2009
First, I need to address a popular misconception. Diamond "cut" is different from diamond "shape." The shape of a diamond describes its outline and some general attributes about the cut of the stone. The different shapes include round, oval, cushion, emerald cut, asscher cut, radiant, pear and heart shape.
Diamond cut is more technical and is about the angles, proportions and facets of the diamond itself. And without question, it is the most important of the 4Cs because the quality of the cut determines how brilliant, beautiful and valuable the diamond is. Cut is the only aspect of the diamond that is determined by the skill and artistry of the craftsman's hand. When a diamond cutter examines a rough diamond, he must make many choices about how to best cut the stone. The result of those choices is a finished stone, or "polished diamond." If done properly, that diamond will have exceptional brilliance, beauty and fire and will show its full size appearance.
At Kwiat, we are uncompromising about the quality of the cut of our diamonds. Adhering to the highest standards for diamond cut is the bedrock principal on which Sam Kwiat founded the company, and for 100 years it has remained at the core of everything we do and every piece of jewelry that we create.
The Cut Scale & How Diamond Cut Is Graded
The GIA grades the cut of round diamonds on a scale that includes the following grades: Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. This grading system is based on more than a decade of the GIA's research into the light performance of diamonds. When examining a round diamond, the GIA will take detailed measurements of the stone's angles and proportions. Based on the combination of these elements, the GIA determines how brilliant the diamond is and assigns a cut grade. Key measurements of the diamond including the depth percentage, the table percentage, the crown angle, the pavilion angle and the girdle thickness are also listed on the certificate. Fancy shapes (i.e., all other shapes besides round) are not given cut grades by the GIA.