In its natural state, a diamond's beauty is generally concealed. While nature determines a diamond's colour, clarity, and carat weight, the hand of a master craftsman is needed to release its fire and beauty. What draws out its brilliance is the cut of the diamond, which under ideal circumstances maximises the optical properties within the diamond, particularly its ability to refract light and disperse color. When a diamond is cut to good proportions light will reflect from one facet to another and disperse through the top of the stone. Diamonds that are cut too deep or too shallow lose light that spills through the side or bottom.
| "Brilliant" Cut - the round cut diamonds. |
"Princess" Cut - the square cut diamonds. |
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Round cut |
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Princess cut |
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There are also "Baguette" Cut diamonds - the rectangular ones, "Oval" Cut - in an oval shape, "Emerald" Cut - like a square, with rounded edges, "Heart" Cut - with a heart shape.
The shape of a diamond is a matter of personal taste. Although the round brilliant cut is the most popular of the shapes there are other not less attractive ways of cutting and shaping. Because the refractive abilities of a fancy cut diamond are reduced by its shape, when looking for a fancy shaped diamond, it is better wise to look up to a higher grade of colour and clarity to maximise the diamond's brilliancy.
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Colour
