{"id":27911,"date":"2019-04-20T09:41:07","date_gmt":"2019-04-20T13:41:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/?p=27911"},"modified":"2019-04-20T10:34:12","modified_gmt":"2019-04-20T14:34:12","slug":"does-shape-affect-clarity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/does-shape-affect-clarity\/","title":{"rendered":"DOES SHAPE AFFECT CLARITY?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Does<\/div>\n

YES!<\/h2>\n

\nYes, the shape of a diamond affects clarity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\nSome shapes of stones display clarity much easier than others. And it’s all due to the cutting style<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\nYou see, most diamonds on the market today are cut with a brilliant cutting style<\/strong> (fancy diamonds, all cuts other than the round, will be listed on a GIA diamond report<\/strong> as a “modified brilliant<\/strong>“). As seen here:<\/p>\n

\n\"The<\/p>\n

\nThis style gives the diamonds a starburst effect<\/strong> on the pavilion that makes the diamond sparkle like crazy (and the round diamond is called “brilliant<\/strong>” because it is totally symmetrical and it is the most brilliant cut<\/strong> there is).<\/p>\n

\nThat style also gives the diamond a lot of contrast<\/strong>, white and black; which hides a vast majority of the flaws in the stone, even black spots are harder to see<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Like in the diamonds shown below:<\/h2>\n

\n\"Brilliant<\/p>\n

\nAll of these diamonds are SI2 clarity<\/strong>. Generally these flaws are not seen with the eye in a top-down view, but microscopic only<\/strong>. You see that the black carbon flaws blend in<\/strong> and are more difficult to locate under 20x magnification<\/strong> (diamonds all come from James Allen<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Step cuts, not so much<\/h2>\n

\nStep cut diamonds are different in appearance. They are cut with long flat facets that resemble a pyramid<\/strong>. They have the same amount of facets as the round, 58<\/strong>, but they don’t have that lovely starburst pattern on the bottom of the stone to mask imperfections. Hence, they tend to stand out like a sore thumb<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\nStep cut diamonds are: emerald <\/strong>cut, baguette <\/strong>cut, tapered baguette<\/strong> cut, asscher <\/strong>cut, like these diamonds below (also SI2 clarity<\/strong>):<\/p>\n

\n\"How<\/p>\n

\nNotice how the flaws just jump out<\/strong> and become apparent. And some people can even see flaws in an SI1 diamond to the bare eye. Many times you’ll have to go all the way up to a VS clarity diamond<\/a> just to not see any inclusions.<\/p>\n

\nSo when shopping for diamonds, take shape into consideration<\/strong>. While step cuts are beautiful and simplistic in style, you may have to up the clarity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

More things to consider…<\/h2>\n