Diamond Cuts And Shapes
Posted by ed | Under Jewelry Diamonds Saturday Jun 26, 2010
When learning about diamond cuts and shapes, it is important to understand how one should look at a diamond. You should begin by learning the terms you hear jewelers use when talking about diamonds, particularly those terms relating to the gemstone’s “cut” and the names of the cut stone parts. Here are some important terms that jewelers commonly use when they speak about faceted stones: table, culet, pavilion, crown, and girdle.
The largest facet of the stone is called table, which is the flat top of the stone. You can also hear the term table spread, which pertains to the width of the table facet. Girdle, is the border or rim of the stone, the part forming its perimeter. It`s basically the dividing line where the bottom part of the stone meets the top part of the stone.Crown is the upper part of the stone, located right above the girdle. Pavilion is the stone`s lower part, stretching from the girdle to the bottom point. Culet is the stone`s lowest portion. Some stones may miss that part, which normally means they have been damaged.
When speaking about diamond cuts and shapes, the cutting is the most important and the least understood gemstone`s evaluation factor. Most people think that when jewelers talk about the cut, they refer to the stone`s shape. However, this is not true. When they talk about cut, jewelers refer to the precision and care used in turning a rough stone into a finished gem. Diamonds have many popular shapes. A certain shape may affect how the stone looks, but if well-cut, the stone will carry on its value and brilliance regardless of its shape. It is really just a matter of personal preference, when you are choosing a shape for your stone.
These are the most popular classic diamond shapes: Round, Cushion, Pear, Marquise (Navette), Oval, Emerald, Radiant, Heart, Baguette, Tapered Baguette and Trilliant.
The experts say that the gem`s shape can change the stone`s displayed personality, although the full beauty of the stone is always released by the overall cutting. Professionals use the term make when describing the quality of the cutting. A “good make” is particularly important in diamonds, where a diamond that has an “excellent make” sells for much more than the one with a “fair make.”