The beauty of a diamond is determined largely by its cut. In the jewellery trade,
‘cut’ is used to describe the proportions of a diamond’s facets rather than its
shape and is rightly regarded as the single most important diamond characteristic.
Whilst some jewellers choose cuts that maximise the size of each stone, we focus
primarily on the quality of the cut and the beauty of the diamond. As such, we always
advise clients to sacrifice carat weight for beauty and we only ever use diamonds
that have been cut correctly to enhance their natural brilliance.
Every diamond is polished by hand and the cutting process is most definitely an
art. While a skilled cutter can realise the beauty of a diamond, a poor one will
ruin even the finest stone. We therefore hand select and sort every diamond that
is set into our jewellery, rejecting those that are ill-proportioned, non-symmetrical
or poorly finished.
Our round brilliant diamonds for instance are cut with 57 facets. The accuracy of
every facet is calculated to create the most scintillating sparkle. When cut correctly,
light entering the top of the crown will split into its spectral colours and then
be reflected back in the back facets.
If the proportions of the diamond are incorrect, rather than being reflected, light
can pass strait through the diamond, giving it a dull, lacklustre appearance. Only
by cutting to achieve the perfect table, crown, pavilion and girdle proportions,
will the reflective and dispersive properties of diamond be maximised.
Using the GIA (Gemmological Institute of America) standard cut grading system, which is adopted universally within the jewellery industry, our diamonds are graded as:
- Good Cut
- These have been cut in a way that allows most of the light which
enters the diamond to be reflected back through the crown facets. Stones classed
as having a ‘good’ cut can be significantly less expensive than those with a ‘very
good’ cut and are perfectly acceptable for use in items of high quality jewellery.
Hearts of London never uses or sells diamonds that have a fair or poor cut.
- Very Good Cut
- 'Very good' cut diamonds have a fiery brilliance, reflecting almost
as much light as those with an ideal cut, though they offer a more cost-effective
alternative.
- Ideal
- Diamonds graded as having 'Ideal' or 'Excellent' cut grade are
considered to exhibit the finest proportions based on their face-up appearance,
design and craftsmanship. They also reflect almost of the light that enters the
crown of the diamond as fire and brilliance.
- Signature
- The more exacting standards of these diamonds enable then to reflect
the maximum brilliance. Often referred to as 'Hearts & Arrows' diamonds, the Signature
cut denotes our very best diamonds.
At Hearts of London, we are committed to helping every client make an informed choice.
Understanding and avoiding some of the common misconceptions can therefore help
you select the best quality diamonds, whatever your budget.
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Move the sliders to understand how light reflects and refracts in a well-cut diamond but passes through (or leaks) through a poorly proportioned stone.
When you purchase from Hearts of London, you are assured of quality certified stones, the highest grade cuts and the most breathtaking diamonds. We never sell diamonds with ‘poor’ or ‘fair’ cut grades.
Good, Very Good, Ideal and Signature cuts have been proven to reflect the most light and maximise brilliance. Although some jewellers may claim that gemstones with a higher number of facets are superior, this is not true and too many facets can actually detract from a diamond’s beauty.
Carat weight can also be misleading. Diamonds cut with thicker girdles may have a higher carat weight but their brilliance will be noticeably diminished. Those with too shallow a pavilion and too large a table can appear dull and lifeless and an unsightly girdle refection called a ‘fish eye’ can often be seen. Similarly, an unsightly dark ‘nail head’ effect can appear if the pavilion facets have been cut too deeply.