CUT GRADES FOR FANCY SHAPED DIAMONDS

As many of you know there are no Cut Grades or Guidelines for Fancy Cut Diamonds.

Fancy Cut Diamonds are basically any and every shape of stone other than the Round Brilliant Cut Diamond.

So for stones like the Princess Cut, Oval Cut, Radiant Cut, and the Cushion Cut, there are no exact specifications (mainly because Fancy Shapes can have endless variations of Widths, Lengths, Depths, and Proportions – every one could be a slightly different shape). With Round stone’s though, it’s easy, the shape is always Symmetrical and Round. You end up with Cut Grades like "Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, and Poor", but you don’t get any of these with Fancy Cut Diamonds.

In fact, Cut Grades for Fancy Cut Diamonds are mostly listed as just the shape of stone, like Cushion Cut, or nothing at all, like this example Diamond shown below…

Looking at this, you would have no idea if the Proportions, Angles or Percentages are anywhere close to Ideal.

One Exception, Sometimes…

Princess Cuts, which are Square or Rectangle in shape, can sometimes (probably closer to rarely) get listed with guideline grades like "True Hearts", "Ideal", "Very Good", and the such (like James Allen does here). But those ratings are NOT listed on the actual Diamond Report itself, it’s just how that particular dealer is classifying those stones using their own set of rules and guidelines. I did an entire article about the Ideal Cut Princess Cut Diamond, and while it’s not exact, it is the closest Ideal Proportions I could come up with, using all the information found on the web today.

The bottom line is, there are no EXACT rules or regulations.

So how do you know if your Fancy Diamond is Cut Well?

You really don’t…

But, happily, there are some things that can help you determine if it’s the right diamond to buy.

To do this, let’s look at the rest of the 4c’s.

Now, keep in mind, this isn’t a fail proof method for getting a Great Cut, in fact you still may get a bad one… But most of the time it works, and will get you in the right ballpark. So YES, chances are good that your diamond will look great and have lots of brilliance and fire (life)!

So what should you look for?

Color, Clarity, Certification, and Price.

Let’s jump right in…

Color and Clarity

Color and Clarity are the two biggest indicators of Cut. If the diamond has a high Color (like a Pure White Diamond – D, E, or F), AND it also has a very High Clarity rating (like Flawless, Internally Flawless, VVS, or possibly even VS), then chances are the Cut is great as well.

High Quality Diamonds Bring High Prices!

The reason for this is simple, when Diamond Cutters are cutting the parent rock, they try to maximize as much profit as possible. And if they have a Diamond that is High in both Clarity and Color, then it’s worth while to concentrate on that region to get the best Diamond they can. They’ll try to obtain the Biggest, Cleanest, most Colorless stone that the rock will allow. And the one thing they will strive to do, is to also give it a "Very Good" or "Excellent" Cut as well. That way the diamond brings top dollar!

It would be quite dumb and pointless for the cutters to put a Poor Make on a Diamond of this Quality. It would be like putting Donut Tires on a Limosine. No one in their right mind would do it, or want it. It would be a waste of time, effort, and money!

See for yourself…

Go into any Jewelry Store today and check out their diamonds that are Top Notch Color AND Clarity (not just one or the other). I guarantee that most of them have a Very Good or Excellent Make to them.

And while you’re there, look at the Certification…

Certification

Certification can also be a good guideline as to how a Diamond is Cut. Most Diamond Reports (aka Certificates), will list things such as Girdle Thickness, Culet Thickness, Polish, and Symmetry.

Look at the Grades or the ratings they get. If the Girdle is "Extremely Thin" to "Extremely Thick" then that could mean the Cut is POOR! Likewise if the Culet is "Extremely Large" that could also be an indication of a Poor Cut.

Polish and Symmetry go hand-in-hand as well!

Polish and Symmetry get grades as well. If the Polish is "Excellent" or "Very Good", then the Cut is probably "Excellent" or "Very Good" as well.

Plus WHO Certifies the stone is an indicator too. If the diamond is High Clarity and High Color, AND is Certified by GIA, then chances are the Diamond has a Good Make as well. Because Certification costs money, and most stores won’t bother to Certify a crappy stone!

Granted, you will find a lot of crappy stones certified on the market, but generally those are certified by IGI or EGL and not GIA! (GIA is the BEST and I highly recommend them!)

WHO Certifies it truly matters!

Lastly – Price!

Comparing Diamonds from store to store will also help you determine Cut. If one stone is $1000 less than all the other stones of the same Color and Clarity, then chances are the make of that diamond (the Cut), is BAD. The Cut is usually the first thing that gets sacrificed! Which is also why most Jewelry Stores skip over Cut quickly and just say something like “This is an Oval Cut Diamond, isn’t it beautiful?” If the Diamond is CHEAP, then it probably doesn’t have a lot of Sparkle.

It could also be cheaper for other reasons as well: The Diamond may have Florescence! It could be Grade Bumped. It could be Chipped on the Girdle. The Prongs could be covering up huge Flaws. It could be Fraud (the wrong Diamond with the wrong Report, or it could even be a Diamond Simulant like Moissanite!)… You just don’t know when the price is too good to be true. Something is wrong with that stone, and usually, it’s not worth the risk!

My Rule of Thumb is this…

If you’re concerned about Cut and Sparkle (which you should be), then buy a Fancy Cut Diamond that’s GIA Certified, with a High Color AND a High Clarity. Check the Girdle Thickness (if it’s listed), and look at the Culet Grade (if it’s listed – some reports won’t list everything). Plus, make sure the Diamond has NO Florescence. Generally, these guidelines will get you a Diamond that will sparkle like a million stars in the sky. It’s not perfect science, but it’s better than nothing, and the best advice I can give!

Here’s a few Fancy Diamonds to get you started (from James Allen)…

CARAT WEIGHT, CLARITY, COLOR, CUT, CERTIFIED	PRICE	VIEW
.31, VVS1, E, PRINCESS, GIA	$670	VIEW
.30, VVS2, E, CUSHION, GIA	$730	VIEW
.38, VVS2, D, OVAL, GIA	$970	VIEW
.45, IF, E, PRINCESS, GIA	$1,310	VIEW
.56, VVS1, D, PRINCESS, GIA	$2,060	VIEW
.55, IF, D, RADIANT, GIA	$2,400	VIEW
.80, VVS1, E, PRINCESS, GIA	$3,760	VIEW
.82, VVS2, D, CUSHION, GIA	$3,760	VIEW
.97, VVS1, E, PRINCESS, GIA	$7,230	VIEW

See MORE Similar Diamonds Here!

Happy Shopping! :)