The 4Cs | Cut

Cut

Cut is the factor with the most influence on the sparkle of a polished diamond. Cut is expressed in terms of the brilliance, fire and scintillation of a diamond. To maximize sparkle, a diamond must be cut to very specific parameters of angle and dimension with a strict attention to the polished finish of the diamond.

Crafted by a select group of Diamantaires, each Forevermark diamond must be cut to a standard of Very Good or Excellent, so you can be sure that each one is a work of art.

A well cut diamond will reflect light within itself, from one mirror-like facet to another. If a diamond is cut too deep or too shallow light will be lost through the side or bottom. This reduces its brilliance and, ultimately, its value.

A well cut diamond also provides a balance between brilliance, fire and scintillation. Brilliance is the white light reflected from the internal and external surfaces of the diamond. Dispersion, or ‘fire’ as it is more commonly known, are the flashes of color that come from the diamond. Scintillation is the sparkle or flashes of light you see as the diamond moves.

The cut of a diamond can also affect its visual size. Two diamonds with the same carat weight can appear to be different sizes depending on the shallowness or shape of its cut.

Cut refers to the shape of the diamond too. Round, princess, oval, square, marquise, pear, emerald and cushion-shaped are some of the most familiar, but advancing technology continues to offer a larger variety of shapes and cuts to choose from.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

When choosing a diamond, hold it up to the light and look at the way the light dances around – it should throw out a rainbow of colors and display the diamond’s natural brilliance. Ask your jeweler to show you many different cuts and shapes so you can try on a good selection to find the perfect one for you.

• Round
• Princess
• Pear
• Oval
• Marquise
• Emerald
• Ideal
  Square
• Heart
• Cushion