Cut refers to the proportions, finish, symmetry,
and polish of thediamond. These factors determine the fire
and brilliance of a diamond. Well cut diamonds sell at a premium
and poorly cut diamonds sell at discounted prices. With the advent of
technology, the cut of the diamond can be determined through the use of
the Dia-Mension system, a computerized system which takes
accurate measurements and proportions of a diamond in seconds,
in addition to the standard millimeter gauge.
As an example, a round brilliant cut, which has 58
facets, is shown below. Since the quality of the
cut is directly responsible for the stone's
beauty, the precision with which
the facets are arranged is of
prime importance. They
determine the amount
of light reflected
to the eye,
called
brilliance.