For centuries, cut has been the most important factor for achieving brilliance in diamonds. Diamonds display their beauty by employing a sophisticated lighting technique called “faceting”. This array of mirrors evenly reflects light from one diamond to another and we can see the light shining brightly.
You can tell a diamond’s quality by looking at its “brilliance” and “fire”. Brilliance refers to how well a diamond can focus light into one place. Fire refers to how well it can take that light and scatter it outwards in a display of sparkles.
Have you ever wondered what the most expensive diamond cut is? Diamonds are on the list of the world’s most valuable gemstones and are known for their beauty. Each cut has its unique appeal, particularly for the shape of a diamond. But which shape is worth more than any other?
In this article, I will present you with a comprehensive overview of the most expensive diamond cuts.
The Four C’S of Diamond Grading
The four C’s of diamond grading are Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat Weight.
CUT: The cut of a diamond refers to the way the stone was shaped and polished from its rough form into a brilliant gem. The cut is what allows the diamond to reflect light and sparkle.
COLOR: Diamond color is all about what you can’t see. Diamonds are valued by how closely they approach colorlessness – the less color, the higher their value. Exceptional white diamonds are extremely rare and therefore very valuable.
CLARITY: Almost all diamonds have tiny identifying characteristics called “inclusions”. These inclusions may appear as dark spots or flecks, clouds, feathers, or clear crystals. The more inclusions a diamond has, the more it affects its beauty and value.
CARAT WEIGHT: Diamond carat weight is the measurement of how much a diamond weighs. A metric “carat” is defined as 200 milligrams. Each carat can be subdivided into 100 ‘points.’ This allows very precise measurements to the hundredth decimal place.
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Why Is Cut Important?
The cut is the most important of the 4 Cs because it has the greatest influence on a diamond’s sparkle. A diamond’s cut grade is an objective measure of how well a diamond’s facets interact with light to create sparkle.
Each diamond comes out of the ground with its own set of color and clarity characteristics. But once a stone has been cut, its proportions affect its ability to reflect light. That’s why cut is considered the most important factor in a diamond’s appearance; it tells us how well a diamond will sparkle when it reaches you and your proposal recipient.
The cut is also probably the hardest characteristic to understand in diamonds. It’s not just about shape (though shape plays an important role). There are more than 57 different “cuts” to choose from! Here, we focus on round brilliant diamonds which have a faceted crown and faceted pavilion with 58 facets (57 if the culet is excluded).
There are different grades of diamond cutting that impact the quality of a diamond. The most common is Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, and Poor. A diamond with an Excellent cut will have more brilliance than a diamond graded as Very Good.
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Most Expensive Diamond Cut
The most expensive diamond cut is the round brilliant. Since it is the most popular cut for a diamond, it commands the highest price per carat. A round brilliant is a timeless classic that never goes out of style. Even though round brilliants are the most expensive diamond cut, they are also the most versatile since they look good in any setting and with any metal.
Round brilliants have been around for nearly 100 years and have been in constant demand ever since their introduction. Their popularity started an ongoing competition among diamond cutters to see who could produce the brightest and most magnificent specimens. This competition drives up prices as well as quality, making round brilliants one of the best investments if you’re looking to sell your ring down the line.
Common Types Of Diamond Cuts
Here is a list of the common types of diamond cuts:
#1. Round Brilliant Cut Diamonds
The round brilliant cut is the most popular diamond cut. When you think of a classic solitaire diamond ring, most people picture a round brilliant cut diamond. It cut was created by Marcel Tolkowsky in 1919. Tolkowsky’s work with mathematics and gemology opened the door for today’s modern cutting techniques. His unique design maximized the brilliance and fire of diamonds.
Today, more than 75% of all diamonds sold are round cuts. The round cut is highly regarded because it combines maximum brilliance and fire with a high degree of versatility. Round diamonds can be set in any type of jewelry, including solitaire rings, halo rings, three-stone rings, and more!
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#2. Princess Cut Diamonds
The princess cut is a square-shaped stone with pointed corners. It can be cut with anywhere between 51 and 58 facets (the more facets the better). The princess cut is also known as a square modified brilliant or a square emerald cut (though it should not be confused with the true emerald cut which is rectangular). Princess cuts look best when they have good clarity and face-up white.
#3. Emerald Cut Diamonds
The emerald cut is a rectangular shape with cropped corners and step-cut facets. It’s one of the oldest diamond cuts, dating back to 15th-century Venetian lapidaries. The emerald cut is often used for emeralds, but it can also be used for diamonds that have fewer flaws or are clear.
#4. Pear Cut Diamonds
Pear-shaped diamonds are a cross between rounds and marquise diamonds in terms of cost. Like the round shape, pears have a lot of sparkle and brilliance, especially when set with a tapered band at the tip. They’re very versatile and may be more affordable than rounds if your budget is tight.
#5. Cushion Cut Diamonds
The cushion cut diamond is a modern take on the old mine cut. It has been around for more than 100 years and was quite popular during the Art Deco period in the 1920s. The cushion cut diamond has a square or rectangular shape with rounded corners and large facets that make it look like a pillow (hence, its name). The cushion cut is available in various shapes, including square, rectangular, circular, and oval. This cut of diamond looks best in yellow gold or rose gold settings as it enhances its warm tone and glittering facets.
#6. Asscher Cut Diamonds
The Asscher cut is a type of step-cut diamond that was created in 1902 by the Asscher brothers of the Netherlands. It is similar to an emerald cut but typically has more steps and larger corner facets two qualities that increase the diamond’s brilliance. However, this also makes Asscher’s more susceptible to chipping than emerald cuts.
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#7. Oval Cut Diamonds
The oval cut diamond is a modified round brilliant stone that has been elongated to create a soft, oval shape. It’s a popular choice for those who like the brilliance and fire of the round brilliant cut, but want something with a little more personality, and it’s also one of the most affordable diamond cuts. In an oval cut, you’ll see the same beautiful sparkle as you would in a round brilliant cut because it has many of the same characteristics. However, because it’s elongated, it creates an illusion of length on short fingers, making it even more attractive to those with smaller hands who are looking for an engagement ring that makes their finger appear longer.
How A Diamond Cut Shape Affects Price
A diamond’s cut grade is based on its symmetry, polish, and proportions all of which contribute to how light travels through the stone. These factors directly affect a diamond’s overall appearance and ultimately determine how expensive or inexpensive it will be.
A well-cut diamond can make your ring look bigger and more brilliant without adding to its carat weight. A poorly cut diamond, on the other hand, can look dull and lifeless even if it has good clarity and color grades.
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More Facts About Diamonds
Diamonds are the most beautiful and desired gem in this world. Diamonds also have an interesting history. Even in ancient times, these gems were considered to be magical. People thought that these were a gift from the gods. Ancient Greeks believed that diamonds were drops of sun rays and moonlight. They also thought that diamond protected their empire from evil forces. In India, people believed that diamonds were a solid form of ice or snow. These stones were preserved in ice caves.
In the middle ages, people believed that diamonds had supernatural healing powers. The diamond is composed of carbon atoms and the hardest natural material on Earth with a Moh’s Scale rating of 10, making it an extremely hard material to work with.
Diamonds are considered as one of the most expensive gemstones worldwide today and all credit goes to their unrivaled brilliance and luster thus many people have this perception that “diamonds are forever”.
However, even though diamonds are considered as one of the least reactive elements on Earth under standard conditions, they do have some chemical reactions with other elements due to their high density. The only other element whose compounds are known to be denser than those of diamond is boron owing to its very similar structure.
FAQs On Diamond Cut
The rarest cut of diamond cut is the “Royal Asscher Cut” which is an updated Asscher Diamond design that was created by Joseph Asscher in 1902.
Here are a few reasons why round-shaped diamonds are so expensive:
- They create the most sparkle
- They need the most amount of raw material
- They are very popular
The round brilliant cut is the most expensive diamond shape.
It is well known that the classic shape, Round Brilliant, has the ideal facet pattern for the most light return. Round Brilliant is the most classic stone shape and is made up of 58 facets.
Conclusion
Without question, the most popular diamond cut among today’s consumers is the round brilliant cut. This is largely due to its versatility, but also its relatively low price. But there are other diamond cuts out there that are truly awe-inspiring, even though they can be outstandingly expensive as well.
Ultimately, the shape of a diamond is defined by the cut. One cut can have the same weight and value as another but be valued far higher due to its overall quality. What makes certain cuts more valuable than others is their durability, brilliance, fire, and scintillation all of which add up to create a good cut diamond.
References
- withclarity.com/blog – This Is The Most Expensive Diamond Cut, and Exactly Why It Costs More
- lexiejordanjewelry.com – WHAT’S THE MOST EXPENSIVE DIAMOND CUT?
- rockher.com – What’s The Most Expensive Diamond Cut?
- diamondregistry.com – What Is The Most Expensive Diamond Shape?
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