DIAMOND CUT

Diamonds are renowned for their ability to transmit light and sparkle so intensely. We often think of a diamond’s cut as shape (round, heart, oval, marquise, pear), but what diamond cut actually does mean how well a diamond’s facets interact with light. Precise artistry and workmanship are required to fashion a stone so its proportions, symmetry and polish deliver the magnificent return of light only possible in a diamond.

Achieving the best cut for a diamond reflects in the stone’s final beauty and value. And of all the diamond 4Cs, it is the most complex and technically difficult to analyze. To determine the cut grade of the standard round brilliant diamond – the shape that dominates the majority of diamond jewelry – GIA calculates the proportions of those facets that influence the diamond’s face-up appearance. These proportions allow GIA to evaluate what the best cut for a diamond is, by studying how successfully a diamond interacts with light to create desirable visual effects, such as:

Brightness: Internal and external white light reflected from a diamond

Fire: The scattering of white light into all the colors of the rainbow

Scintillation: The amount of sparkle a diamond produces, and the pattern of light and dark areas caused by reflections within the diamond

GIA’s diamond cut grade also takes into account the design and craftsmanship of the diamond, including its weight relative to its diameter, its girdle thickness (which affects its durability), the symmetry of its facet arrangement, and the quality of polish on those facets.

How does pavilion depth affect a diamond’s cut?

The distance from the bottom of the girdle to the culet is the pavilion depth. A pavilion depth that’s too shallow or too deep will allow light to escape from the side of the stone or leak out of the bottom. A well-cut diamond will direct more light through the crown.

The GIA Diamond Cut Scale for standard round brilliant diamonds in the D-to-Z diamond color range contains 5 grades ranging from Excellent to Poor and is the definitive scale for classifying diamond cuts.

dmpoore
David saved me!!! I came in practically in tears thinking my new ring bought elsewhere may be a fake, and he quickly re-assured me everything was peachy keen and it had some residue all around it... that was causing the gem to look differently. He was so warm, personable, and professional. I appreciated his expertise and kindness. He truly cares for his customers. The appraisal was a fair price and provided me with lots of education on different items. He also had a beautiful selection of colored gems and unique estate items. I definitely recommend visiting for your needs.read more
David B.
Although writing a testimonial and supportive review is not something I often do, there are a handful of special moments in one's life when you encounter a service, product or company that thoroughly... exceeds your expectations. So very much so, and in every capacity, that you feel as though you'd be remiss if you didn't share your wonderful experience with the world. THIS is one of those times! I am a REAL CUSTOMER and this is my unsolicited story. I respectfully encourage you to read on. After conducting a fair amount of Due Diligence and reading the reviews about reputable Jewelers -- just as you're probably doing right now -- I can honestly say that I couldn't be more pleased with the expert guidance, creativity and fair-priced service that I received at David Stern Jewelers.My first encounter with David Stern was by telephone, and within just a couple of minutes or so, after I had explained the nature of my multiple inquiries, I was convinced that my search efforts had paid off and that I'd truly found the right guy! I made an appointment to visit with David that afternoon and was later greeted by David at the door. His outright friendliness was candidly warm, personable and very down-to-earth. This put me at ease right away and we went into his office for a personal consultation. I explained that subsequent to my Mom's recent passing, my brother and I had inherited her fairly extensive collection of all kinds of jewelry … it included a mixture of diamond pieces, white & yellow gold bracelets, necklaces, rings, pins -- both Vintage and Current -- along with many pieces of costume jewelry. This entire collection would, at a later date, be fully evaluated, assessed and render a proposed cash offer.Among other things, I first wanted to repurpose the diamonds from two of my Mother's rings to create a one-of-a-kind Engagement Ring for my very deserving Fiancée. Like a couple of old friends working together, I described to David what I was looking for and, on very short order, David came up with a basic sketch rendering. It incorporated several sentimental stones from both of my Mom's rings ... David's creative vision for this finely crafted piece was amazing!Truthfully, ten days later when I picked up the finished ring, I was blown away by its exquisite and gleaming design … so was everyone else, especially my Fiancée … when I proposed!! It was a custom creation from the ground-up that only someone with David Stern's talent could precisely fabricate. Since the purchase of that beautiful ring, I've been back to see David several times. Each time, he insists on cleaning and polishing whatever pieces of jewelry I/we happen to have (routinely Free-of-Charge) and we're always greeted like "Family". Our most recent appointment was a three-hour Cost-Free consultation to appraise and assess our Mother's entire collection of jewelry. We selected a few pieces that we wanted to keep in the family, and then decided to accept David's generously-fair Cash-Offer for the remaining pieces. I can honestly say that when it comes to Jewelry, you won't find a nicer, more-qualified, pleasant, genuine, knowledgeable, trustworthy, considerate and fair-minded person than David Stern. You simply cannot go wrong with a guy like this and I can't think of a single reason to shop for jewelry anywhere else!David B.Boca Raton, Floridaread more
Sarah R.
Excellent experience with the owner. He was humble, kind and personable. I highly recommend him to anyone looking forward buying authentic diamond or gold pieces.