Diamonds

The polished dazzling diamond that is the centerpiece of an engagement ring has been through many processes since it was uncovered in a mine in South Africa, Canada or perhaps Russia. Diamonds in their original state are called rough or uncut. In many cases they are much larger than the standard one carat that is found in many pieces of jewelry.

From the mine the diamond is cut into smaller stones. Then the diamond cutter creates the finished shape of the stone. At this stage there are many popular cuts to use. The Gemological Institute of America places cut diamonds into three classifications: brilliant cuts, step cuts and mixed cuts.

Brilliant cut diamonds are the most popular class of cuts. The stones are shaped with many facets of triangles and kite shapes. This style of cut makes excellent use of the interaction with light. The light seems to dance and bounce around in the diamond, bringing the stone to life.

Of the brilliant cut diamonds, the round is by far the most commonly used shape. Another frequently used brilliant cut is the princess style. This is a square shape that amplifies the light of the triangles and kites in the brilliant cut. It is a popular choice in engagement rings.

Diamond cutting has been practiced for many centuries and styles gain and lose popularity over the years. A group of cuts is now known as vintage cuts. The old mine cut is a square shape with rounded corners and brilliant facets. An old European cut takes the mine cut and uses it on a round diamond. A rectangular diamond with a mine cut is referred to as a cushion cut.

The rose diamond cut is a style that groups the brilliant facets into arrangements that take on the appearance of an opening rosebud. The Asscher cut was popular in the early 1900s and is coming back into vogue today. The cut is similar to an emerald cut, but the stone is square instead of the typical rectangle. The facets are wide and deep and produce more fire - the term used for the intense play of light inside the diamond.

Step cuts are another style of diamond cut. This cut uses sloping, four-sided facets that run parallel to the girdle. Girdle is the term for the edge of the stone where the prongs are placed to hold it in the setting. Step cuts have fewer facets than brilliant cuts. The tops of the step cut stone appear much more open. This open style means that any inclusions inside the stone will be more apparent. A brilliant cut can often hide inclusions.

Mixed cuts are, like the name implies, a mixture of styles on the same diamond. The different styles can be altered across the stone or one style used on one end while the other style is used on the opposite end. Mixed cuts are more commonly found in colored gems.