Diamond Cut
from
Diamond Experts

The best diamond cuts were not developed with luster mainly in mind; other effects were thought more important. The diamond cut criterion used for jewels was to produce the maximum amount of brilliance. Brilliance depends on two factors - life and fire. Life is the amount of light, which, after falling on the diamond from the front, is reflected back to the viewer. Fire is the amount of color flashing caused by the diamond splitting white light into the spectrum colors.

The amount of light entering a diamond may be up to 83 per cent, since about 17 per cent is reflected from the surface. There is much more potential for brilliancy from light that enters the Jewel than from light reflected off the surface.

The problem with diamond cuts is to make sure that the light entering the jewel is not lost through the sides and back, but is reflected inside and then sent back to the eyes of the viewer. The most important factor of the diamond cut is the critical angle, the angle at which light reflects and is not lost by being passed out the sides of the diamond. Another term for this is total internal reflection.

A diamond cut with angles to take fullest advantage of total internal reflection, will have inside back facets that act like mirrors. Most of the light entering the jewel from the front will therefore be reflected back out through the table to give maximum life to the diamond.

The quality of the cut can cause the diamond price to fluctuate, the better the cut the higher the price that will be asked. Diamond Experts, an experienced dealer in wholesale diamonds , has over 35 years of experience, and will explain to you how to pick a superbly cut stone.