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Diamond cut
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Diamond cut
A diamond cut is a style or design guide used when shaping a diamond for polishing such as the brilliant cut. Cut refers to shape (pear, oval), and also the symmetry, proportioning and polish of a diamond. The cut of a diamond greatly affects a diamond's brilliance—a poorly-cut diamond is less luminous.
In order to best use a diamond gemstone's material properties, a number of different diamond cuts have been developed. A diamond cut constitutes a more or less symmetrical arrangement of facets, which together modify the shape and appearance of a diamond crystal. Diamond cutters must consider several factors, such as the shape and size of the crystal, when choosing a cut. The practical history of diamond cuts can be traced back to the Middle Ages, while their theoretical basis was not developed until the turn of the 20th century. The earliest diamond cutting techniques were simply to polish the natural shape of rough diamonds, often octahedral crystals; it wasn't until the 14th century that faceting, the process of cutting and polishing a gemstone to create multiple flat surfaces or facets, was first developed in Europe. Design, creation and innovation continue to the present day: new technology—notably laser cutting and computer-aided design—has enabled the development of cuts whose complexity, optical performance, and waste reduction were hitherto unthinkable.
The most popular of diamond cuts is the modern round brilliant, whose 57 facets arrangements and proportions have been perfected by both mathematical and empirical analysis. Also popular are the fancy cuts, which come in a variety of shapes, many of which were derived from the round brilliant. A diamond's cut is evaluated by trained graders, with higher grades given to stones whose symmetry and proportions most closely match the particular "ideal" used as a benchmark. The strictest standards are applied to the round brilliant; although its facet count is invariable, its proportions are not. Different countries base their cut grading on different ideals: one may speak of the American Standard or the Scandinavian Standard (Scan. D.N.), to give but two examples.
The process of diamond cutting has been known in the Indian subcontinent as early as the sixth century AD. A sixth-century treatise Ratnapariksa, or "Appreciation of Gems", states that the best form in which to have the diamond is in its perfect natural octahedral crystal form, and not as a cut stone, indicating that diamond cutting was widespread practice. Al Beruni also describes the process of diamond grinding using lead plate in the 11th century AD. Agastimata, written before 10th century AD, states:
The diamond cannot be cut by means of metals and gems of other species; but it also resists polishing, the diamond can only be polished by means of other diamonds
— Agastimata
A 12th- or early 13th-century diamond ring attributed to Muhammad Ghauri contains two diamonds whose crude octahedral natural states are maintained, but they are in limpid condition, exhibiting diamond polishing and shaping predating Europe, where the first diamond processing dates back to the mid-14th century AD. As of today, few diamonds with ancient Mughal-style faceting are known.
The history of diamond cuts in Europe can be traced to the late Middle Ages, before which time diamonds were employed in their natural octahedral state—anhedral (poorly formed) diamonds simply were not used in jewelry. The first "improvements" on nature's design involved a simple polishing of the octahedral crystal faces to create even and unblemished facets, or to fashion the desired octahedral shape out of an otherwise unappealing piece of rough. This was called the point cut, and dates from the mid-14th century; by 1375 there was a guild of diamond polishers at Nuremberg. By the mid-15th century, the point cut began to be improved upon: the top of the octahedron would be polished or ground off, creating the table cut. The importance of a culet was also realized, and some table-cut stones may possess one. The addition of four corner facets created the old single cut (or old eight cut). Neither of these early cuts would reveal what diamond is prized for today: its strong dispersion or fire. At the time, diamond was valued chiefly for its adamantine lustre and superlative hardness; a table-cut diamond would appear black to the eye, as they do in paintings of the era. For this reason, colored gemstones such as ruby and sapphire were far more popular in jewelry of the era.
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Diamond cut
A diamond cut is a style or design guide used when shaping a diamond for polishing such as the brilliant cut. Cut refers to shape (pear, oval), and also the symmetry, proportioning and polish of a diamond. The cut of a diamond greatly affects a diamond's brilliance—a poorly-cut diamond is less luminous.
In order to best use a diamond gemstone's material properties, a number of different diamond cuts have been developed. A diamond cut constitutes a more or less symmetrical arrangement of facets, which together modify the shape and appearance of a diamond crystal. Diamond cutters must consider several factors, such as the shape and size of the crystal, when choosing a cut. The practical history of diamond cuts can be traced back to the Middle Ages, while their theoretical basis was not developed until the turn of the 20th century. The earliest diamond cutting techniques were simply to polish the natural shape of rough diamonds, often octahedral crystals; it wasn't until the 14th century that faceting, the process of cutting and polishing a gemstone to create multiple flat surfaces or facets, was first developed in Europe. Design, creation and innovation continue to the present day: new technology—notably laser cutting and computer-aided design—has enabled the development of cuts whose complexity, optical performance, and waste reduction were hitherto unthinkable.
The most popular of diamond cuts is the modern round brilliant, whose 57 facets arrangements and proportions have been perfected by both mathematical and empirical analysis. Also popular are the fancy cuts, which come in a variety of shapes, many of which were derived from the round brilliant. A diamond's cut is evaluated by trained graders, with higher grades given to stones whose symmetry and proportions most closely match the particular "ideal" used as a benchmark. The strictest standards are applied to the round brilliant; although its facet count is invariable, its proportions are not. Different countries base their cut grading on different ideals: one may speak of the American Standard or the Scandinavian Standard (Scan. D.N.), to give but two examples.
The process of diamond cutting has been known in the Indian subcontinent as early as the sixth century AD. A sixth-century treatise Ratnapariksa, or "Appreciation of Gems", states that the best form in which to have the diamond is in its perfect natural octahedral crystal form, and not as a cut stone, indicating that diamond cutting was widespread practice. Al Beruni also describes the process of diamond grinding using lead plate in the 11th century AD. Agastimata, written before 10th century AD, states:
The diamond cannot be cut by means of metals and gems of other species; but it also resists polishing, the diamond can only be polished by means of other diamonds
— Agastimata
A 12th- or early 13th-century diamond ring attributed to Muhammad Ghauri contains two diamonds whose crude octahedral natural states are maintained, but they are in limpid condition, exhibiting diamond polishing and shaping predating Europe, where the first diamond processing dates back to the mid-14th century AD. As of today, few diamonds with ancient Mughal-style faceting are known.
The history of diamond cuts in Europe can be traced to the late Middle Ages, before which time diamonds were employed in their natural octahedral state—anhedral (poorly formed) diamonds simply were not used in jewelry. The first "improvements" on nature's design involved a simple polishing of the octahedral crystal faces to create even and unblemished facets, or to fashion the desired octahedral shape out of an otherwise unappealing piece of rough. This was called the point cut, and dates from the mid-14th century; by 1375 there was a guild of diamond polishers at Nuremberg. By the mid-15th century, the point cut began to be improved upon: the top of the octahedron would be polished or ground off, creating the table cut. The importance of a culet was also realized, and some table-cut stones may possess one. The addition of four corner facets created the old single cut (or old eight cut). Neither of these early cuts would reveal what diamond is prized for today: its strong dispersion or fire. At the time, diamond was valued chiefly for its adamantine lustre and superlative hardness; a table-cut diamond would appear black to the eye, as they do in paintings of the era. For this reason, colored gemstones such as ruby and sapphire were far more popular in jewelry of the era.
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