How to judge fancy cut diamonds

Diamonds are like people. They come in all shapes and sizes. A diamond’s value is based on good understanding of the 4 C’s: cut, clarity, color, and carat weight. Among the 4C’s, cut is the most important factor that affects the appearance and life of a diamond. Even though round brilliant is perceived as the familiar cut, fancy cut diamonds like oval, heart, emerald, marquise, pear, princess and others are becoming popular among the consumers.

Fancy cut diamonds have a unique look and can waltz in the light when properly cut. With keen observation and practice one should be able to judge the quality of total internal reflection in a fancy shape. In certain fancy shapes an optical phenomenon called light leakage or bow -tie occurs when stones are not well cut. A well-cut fancy shaped diamond show very little light leakage through the pavilion. With some practice one should be able to recognize the fault. The symmetry of fancy shaped diamonds can also influence the overall appearance and quality.

Fancy cut diamonds are not evaluated according to the suggested mathematical formulas that define the round brilliant cut. If the diamond is cut shallow, which is quite common with marquise, pear and oval shapes, the stones may lack brilliance. One way to judge is to look at how well the two halves of a diamond look when seen from the profile view and face up. Ideally the two halves should be mirror images of one another. If there is a mismatch, the diamonds may have been cut to save weight. Emerald cuts and other cuts with square and rectangular outline may be cut deep. The overall cut must be good because the lack of proper faceting and clean lines may reveal inclusions and other imperfections. For rectangular emeralds one should look for good length to width ratio. Princess is usually cut square than as rectangular. It is wise to avoid stones that are too flat or deep. But careful faceting can provide superb brilliance and extra life to the stones. Marquises, pears and hearts with points at their ends should be thick enough to withstand normal wear and tear. If these diamonds are cut too shallow, a point may be prone to chipping. When these stones are worn regularly and not periodically cleaned, they may look dull or sleepy.

The choice of cut is purely personal and how each person falls in love with the shape of a diamond is a matter of individuality. When you are buying a fancy cut diamond judge its overall life and beauty. Tables on fancy cut diamonds may look large and long stones may lack optical beauty. Usually comparison stones may help to perceive the differences in qualities. The amazing thing is fancy cut diamonds may look larger and more elegant in larger sizes. The world’s most famous diamonds such as The Hope, The Kohinoor, The Millinium Star, The Taylor-Burton, The Tiffany Yellow, The Peacock, The Moussaieff Red, The Mouawad Pink, The Mouawad Magic and The Mouawad Lilac to mention a few are fancy cut diamonds.

The most effective consumer tool is knowledge. When you are well informed you have paid a fair price. For the design conscious consumer fancy cut diamonds provide a wider selection of designs and stylistic options.