The Essentials You Need To Know When Purchasing and Caring For Your Diamond.
Diamond Cut

A Beautiful Diamond is the Sum of It's Parts

Every finished diamond is composed of four primary components and a possible culet.

  • Table: The flat surface on the top of the diamond.
  • Crown: The top of the diamond.
  • Girdle: The edge of the diamond that goes around the middle.
  • Pavilion: The bottom of the diamond.
  • Culet: The small facet on the bottom of the diamond. This facet is optional and some diamonds do not have a culet.

Each of the above diamond components contain one or more facets. Facets are the flat, polished surfaces placed on the surface of the rough, uncut diamond. The diamond's final shape is determined by the number, shape, size, and placement or pattern of the facets. Due to the diamond's hardness, this is a lengthy process, taking many hours to complete.

About Diamond Cut

Top of Diamond

The number of facets varies based on the shape of the diamond. A Round Brilliant diamond has 57 or 58 facets, comprised of the large "table" facet on the top, 8 "star" facets, 8 "kite" facets, 16 "upper girdle" facets, 16 "lower girdle facets, 8 "pavilion" facets, and 1 "culet" (optional facet) on the bottom.

Bottom of Diamond

Key Diamond Proportions

The intensity of the brilliance, fire and sparkle of the diamond, also known as light performance, is determined by the proportions of the diamond. The proportions consist of nine ratios which indicate how the table, crown, girdle and pavilion of the diamond relate to each other. All of these ratios, with the exception of star % and lower half %, are found on the diamond grading certificate.

  • Table Size: Size of the large top facet as a percent of the diamond's diameter.
  • Total Depth: Depth of the diamond as a percent of the diamond's diameter.
  • Crown Height: Height of the diamond from the girdle to the table as a percent of the diamond's depth.
  • Star %: Average length of the star facets as a percent of the kite facets.
  • Crown Angle: Linked to the crown height, the crown angle is the average angle of the kite facets in relation to the girdle.
  • Girdle Thickness: The average thickness of the girdle in relation to the depth of the diamond.
  • Pavillion Depth: Depth of the diamond from the girdle to the culet as a percent of the diamond's total depth.
  • Lower Half %: Average length of the lower girdle facets as a percent of the pavilion facets.
  • Pavillion Angle: Average angle of the pavilion facets in relation to the girdle.