Nique Design - Buyers Guide

Buyer's Guide - Cut

Find out more about:
cut
color
clarity
carat

An Octahedron - the
shape of a rough diamond

Rough diamonds are usually found in the form of an octahedron. They must be cut, shaped, and polished, to make them sparkle and shine. This is a very delicate process and small errors can significantly reduce the value of a diamond. When a master cutter encounters a very large rough diamond, it can take several months to decide how to make the first cut.

Parts of a Diamond

Proportions of an Ideal Cut Round Diamond

A diamond appears to sparkle because of the way it reflects light. A round diamond will appear brightest when it is cut to ideal proportions. An ideal cut will reflect the most light through the table and therefore appear the brightest. If a diamond is cut too deep or too shallow it will loose its brilliance and scintillation. It may even appear dark.

Not every diamond will be cut to ideal proportions. Up to 50% of the weight of the original rough diamond can be lost during cutting. If the diamond is cut with less than ideal proportions more of the weight can be preserved and a larger diamond produced. Sometimes a larger diamond, with less than ideal proportions, has a higher value than a smaller ideal cut diamond.

When choosing a diamond, if you don't want to pay a little extra for an ideal cut, you should at least buy a well proportioned cut that is brilliant. You want to stay away from a dull or dark looking diamond.

A Sample of Various Shaped Diamonds
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	Round Cut	Emerald Cut	Marquise Cut	Pear Cut	Princess Cut	Radiant Cut