The art of diamond cutting or polishing dates back to medieval Europe when diamonds were not commonly used for jewelry. Because of its natural rough form and extreme density multiple cuts or “facets” are required to realize a diamond’s dispersion commonly known as fire. The ability to make precision cuts progressed over time and was not perfected until the 1900’s. The original round brilliant design was created by Marcel Tolkowsky in 1919 who’s mathematical model doubled the amount of light and fire output. Tolkowsky’s design has been the basis for all modern diamond designs. His technique has been refined by computer technology for even more precise facet cutting and brilliance.
The culet is the point on the bottom of the diamond and is sometimes cut to make a small facet. A diamond grading report will reveal the existence of a culet facet. When viewing a diamond from the top, or table, the culet facet may be visible making it less popular in modern ideal cuts. This and other important diamond characteristics contribute or detract from overall value and should be examined before making a purchase in order to verify quality.

A diamond’s cut refers to its shape when viewed from the top (although there are descriptive terms used to describe a diamond’s shape from a side view also).  The cut is created by cutting symmetrical facets on a rough diamond to form the desired shape.  The most popular diamond cut today is the round brilliant, which constitutes a large percentage of the diamonds sold in the jewelry industry today.  Multiple standards have been developed to grade diamond cut.  Unfortunately, there is no unanimous agreement in the industry as to what proportions create the best diamond.

The quality of a diamond’s cut is evaluated by trained gemologists and reported on a diamond grading certificate with the highest grades given to diamonds whose symmetry and proportions most closely match the standard adopted by the grading company.  The depth percentage of a diamond is most important characteristic in determining a diamond’s fire and brilliance and each diamond shape has a different ideal depth percentage.  For example, an ideal round brilliant diamond should have a depth percentage between 58.5-64%.  A rule of thumb for princess cut diamonds is the 65/65 rule, meaning that the table percentage and the depth percentage should never exceed 65%.

If diamonds are a woman’s best friend then why does the man have to buy them? Most men are not familiar with the fine details of diamond characteristics and value. Making such a large purchase without any experience or knowing who to trust can make diamond shopping a daunting task. A visit to your local jeweler almost always consists of a tutorial on the “4 C’s” leaving you more confused than ever. What your jeweler will not tell you is the single most important diamond trait which determines value and brilliance. The rarely mentioned yet most important detail is a diamond’s depth percentage. A diamond cut to the ideal depth percentage will reflect substantially more light known as brilliance or fire. A diamond with the same color and clarity may appear dull and boring compared to a diamond with an ideal depth percentage. Diamonds are often cut either too shallow or too deep in order to save diamond mass which results in a dull appearance and cheaper cost. You may think you are getting a good deal but you are really paying for poor quality. The ideal depth percentage is different for each diamond shape. An ideal round diamond should be cut between 58-63%. For more information on diamond cut click here.

To find the best quality diamond look first for an ideal depth percentage, then consider color, clarity, and carat weight. Buy only certified diamonds which come with a third party verification of its characteristics.

Most jewelry stores will charge a hefty premium for a properly cut diamond. Desert Brilliance offers ideal cut diamonds without any additional fees giving you the most for your money. Buy with confidence at DesertBrilliance.com for the best priced, best quality diamonds available.

Why is diamond the hardest material known?  Hardness and density are not the only measures of a diamond’s durability–it has great resistance to fracture also. Although diamond is not fragile or easy to break apart, it is still capable of doing so.  Because of it’s crystal structure, a diamond has planes of weakness along which it can be split. Diamond is said to have perfect cleavage or lines in four different directions, and when manipulated correctly can separate neatly along these lines giving it its sharp edges and perfect appearance. This occurs because diamond crystals have fewer chemical bonds along the plane of its face than in other directions. Diamond jewelers take advantage of these lines to cut the diamond efficiently.  Visit us online at www.desertbrilliance.com for more diamond education.

Deciding on the cut (or proportions) of a diamond is sort of like buying a house.  Some people want the biggest house they can buy and don’t mind if it is a little empty inside without much decoration because they got a big house.  Other people though would rather buy a bit smaller house and save some money so that they can afford to furnish it nicely.

In the diamond world, the size of a diamond is sometimes overemphasized.  For some people, it is the most important characteristic.  But, if you’re looking for that eye-catching bling–the type of bling where your ring will sparkle from across a room–you should focus more on the diamond’s cut than size.   It is the cut that determines how much light is captured and then reflected back out of your diamond, which bears a direct relationship to the bling (or sparkle) of your diamond.  You can learn more about cut on our Diamond Education page.