The beauty of a diamond is predominately determined by “cut”. Most people are surprised to hear that a diamond’s carat weight is not a reliable indicator of a diamond’s apparent size. This is due to the most important of the 4Cs – a diamond’s cut. The cut of a diamond determines it’s beauty and brilliance. It is commonly known that diamonds of exceptional cut are very hard to find, given most diamonds are cut to whatever profile will yield the heaviest weight from the rough crystal. As a result, very few diamonds actually sparkle like they should!
 
A correctly cut diamond looks like it has mirrors on the bottom – light comes in through the top of a diamond, bounces off all its tiny mirrors, then explodes through the upper surface – showcasing the true beauty of an exceptionally cut diamond.

In the diagram above, we compare the side views of a properly cut diamond, against two diamonds with poor cuts. When a diamond is cut too deep, the light leaks out the bottom resulting in a black middle. If a diamond is cut too shallow, light will leak out the side causing a watery appearance called a fish-eye.
 
There are many different shapes and styles of diamonds. Out of the 4Cs, “cut” is the only aspect that does not have a direct link between value and natural rarity. Cut is the only attribute that links human contribution to a diamond’s value. The round brilliant is the top-selling diamond shape in most markets. Any other shape than the round brilliant is considered a fancy shape. Classic fancy shapes include emerald, oval, pear, heart, princess and marquise. 

A diamond’s beauty depends primarily on:

1. Brilliance = the total intensity or amount of white light that’s reflected from the diamond’s surface and interior; aka. a diamond’s superior brightness and radiance
2. Dispersion = aka. fire, is the multi-colored display that resonates from the diamond’s body; it is the rainbow effect you see when light passes through the diamond
3. Scintillation = aka. sparkle, is the dance of bright reflections you see as the diamond, the light source, or you move

Here at Spence, EVERY diamond is cut correctly and this simply is our non-negotiable standard. We use a round diamond Gemological Institute of America (GIA) Facetware report to provide an independent verification that your diamond was cut for maximum brilliance. This GIA software compares measurements of your diamond against 38.5 million GIA diamond proportion sets to determine the grade of its cut. This report provides all customers with the reassurance that their diamond is cut for maximum brilliance to truly showcase its radiance, fire and sparkle.

If we know one thing in the world, it’s diamonds. We are passionate about taking the mystery out of your diamond hunt - and we are committed to helping you find just the right diamond. When you're finished at Spence, you'll know diamonds too. Be sure to “like” us on Facebook to talk diamonds!