The cut of a diamond refers not to its shape, but to the balance of proportion, symmetry, and polish that creates its sparkle and brilliance. Cut describes how the facets of a diamond interact with light, and it is the most important factor in determining the stone’s overall beauty.

At New York Carat House, our diamonds are cut to exacting standards to bring out maximum brilliance and sparkle.

How is Diamond Cut Important?

When a diamond has been correctly cut, its ability to reflect and refract light is greatly enhanced. By understanding the way light moves through diamond crystals, modern diamond cutters have developed a precise set of proportions and angles that help reveal the diamond’s internal brilliance and showcase it in its best light.

At New York Carat House, our master craftsmen dedicate themselves to crafting diamonds with exceptional precision in order to achieve excellent proportions and outstanding brilliance.

Factors Surrounding the Cut of a Diamond

Cut is responsible for the quality of a diamond’s brightness and sparkle. The quality of a diamond’s cut is determined by three main factors:

Polish: The placement of the diamond’s facets and the exterior finish of the diamond.

Symmetry: The precise intersection and alignment of the various diamond facets.

Proportions: How the size, shape, and angle of each diamond facet interact with one another to produce the best combination for the reflection and refraction of light.

These three factors determine how light is reflected back from the diamond, which can be measured in terms of brilliance, dispersion, and scintillation. A well-cut diamond will display superior brilliance, dispersion, and scintillation.

Evaluating a Diamond's Sparkle

The most straightforward way to evaluate a diamond’s sparkle is to observe it under different lighting conditions. Alternatively, specialised equipment can also be used to measure how effectively a diamond reflects light and how much light is returned to the viewer.

Some reports, in addition to measuring a diamond’s 4Cs, also evaluate a diamond’s light performance. An example is the Sarine Light Performance Report, which provides accurate grading of a diamond’s light performance.