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About Diamonds, ideal cut diamonds, round diamonds
American Gem Society (AGS): An educational institution for gemological studies. The AGS Labs were created primarily to develop and promote universally-accepted standards for grading cut, including Ideal Cut. For more information on the Ideal Cut, please see our detailed discussion, The Ideal Cut: A Consumer's Guide in the Learning Center
Blemish: A clarity characteristic that occurs on the surface of a diamond. Though some blemishes are inherent to the original rough diamond, most are the result of the environment the diamond has encountered since it was unearthed. For more information on the most commonly-occurring types of blemishes.
Brilliance: The brightness that seems to come from the very heart of a diamond. It is the effect that makes diamonds unique among all other gemstones. While other gemstones also display brilliance, none have the power to equal the extent of diamond's light-reflecting power. Brilliance is created primarily when light enters through the table, reaches the pavilion facets, and is then reflected back out through the table, where the light is most visible to your eye. For more information on brilliance.
Brilliant Cut: One of three styles of faceting arrangements. In this type of arrangement, all facets appear to radiate out from the center of the diamond toward its outer edges. It is called a brilliant cut because it designed to maximize brilliance. Round diamonds, ovals, radiants, princesses, hearts,
marquises, and pears all fall within this category of cut. Other styles of faceting arrangements include the step cut (in which facets are arranged in concentric rows around the table and the culet) and the mixed cut (in which either the crown or pavilion of a diamond is cut as a brilliant cut, and the other part of the diamond is cut as a step cut). Note: Some jewelers use the term "Brilliant cut" as a synonym for "round diamond."
Diamond cut is perhaps the most important of the four Cs, so it is important to understand how this quality affects the properties and values of a diamond.
A good cut gives a diamond its brilliance, which is that brightness that seems to come from the very heart of a diamond. The angles and finish of any diamond are what determine its ability to handle light, which leads to brilliance.
When a diamond is well-cut, light enters through the table and travels to the pavilion where it reflects from one side to the other before reflecting back out of the diamond through the table and to the observer's eye. This light is the brilliance we mentioned, and it's this flashing, fiery effect that makes diamonds so mesmerizing.
Don't confuse diamond cut with shape. Shape refers to the general outward appearance of the diamond, not it's reflective qualities. For more on shape,
In a poorly cut diamond, the light that enters through the table reaches the facets and then 'leaks' out from the sides or bottom of the diamond rather than reflecting back to the eye. Less light reflected back to the eye means less brilliance.
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