Diamonds are among the most revered stones in the world. These stones are admired for their great brilliance. They are able to reflect light in a way that it produces spectacular sparkle and shine. To enhance the light reflecting and refracting capacity of diamonds, they are cut into different shapes which are known as diamond cuts. There are different kinds of diamond cuts which vary based on the facet arrangement. In this, article we are discussing some diamond cut styles that the diamond cutters use to enhance the brilliance of a diamond.
Diamond cut styles usually refer to the arrangement of facets or the face-up shape of finished stones. There is some common diamond cut styles like brilliant, step, and mixed. For instance, a “round brilliant diamond” has a round shape and a brilliant cutting style. Diamond cutters will combine different diamond cut styles to create a variety of gem designs.
Basic Diamond Cutting Styles
- Brilliant Cut
Brilliant cut diamonds create the most scintillation than any other cuts. For this cut, the facets are arranged to produce maximum reflection and refraction of light, thereby adding to its brilliance. This cut consists of triangular shaped and kite-shaped facets which spread outward from the stone’s center.
- Step Cut
The facets in a step cut are arranged in a rectangular fashion that ascends the crown (the top portion or area above the girdle of a diamond) and descends the pavilion (the bottom or area below the girdle of a diamond) in steps. Examples of step cuts are baguette and emerald cut diamonds. The diamonds cut in this style show off the color and clarity of the stone and will produce a wonderful gleam.
- Mixed Cuts
Mixed cuts use a combination of brilliant and step-cut styles. They have step facets on the crown and brilliant facets on the pavilion or vice versa.
Shape and Style Combinations
Diamond cutters can combine the cutting styles mentioned above with almost any shape. For example, a square modified brilliant cut is known as the princess cut, a step cut with square shape and beveled corners is called Asscher cut, and a square mixed cut is known as a Barion cut. Step and mixed cuts can be found only on fancy shapes (cuts other than the round brilliant). No round diamond with step or mixed cuts exists. It is also possible to have different variations within all shapes, for instance, a triangular gemstone can have a few or many facets which decides whether it has a little or high brilliance.
Other diamond cut styles
- Rose Cut
Even though brilliant and step cuts are the most popular, there are also some other diamond cut styles which are unique and stunning, and Rose cut is one among them. This style dates back to the 16th century and is an important part of gem-cutting history. The rose cut has a faceted top and round, cabbed flat base. Although this is not a standard method for diamond cutting, it still has its beauty and charm.
The rose cut has triangular facets that rise to create a shape like a faceted mound. For each rose cut, the number of facets will vary; however, the face-up shape will be usually circular. The diamond cutters of the 16th-century used this cut to maximize the use of rough stone and to produce more brilliance than other cuts existed during that time. However, the brilliance of this cannot be even compared to the brilliance produced by modern cuts. Nowadays, rose cuts are making a comeback because of their vintage appeal.
- Briolette Cut
Another important cut in the history of diamonds is the briolette which is a faceted teardrop. It can also be called as double-rose cut or a fully rounded pear cut. The diamond cutters during the Victorian era used this cut to use as beads for earrings and pendants.
Ceylon Cut
The specialty of a Ceylon cut is its brilliant-cut crown and step-cut pavilion. This cutting style is still in use in Sri Lanka. Studies indicate that the reverse of this cutting style, a brilliant-cut pavilion and step-cut crown, can often produce the most brilliance.
Barion Cut
Even though it is a mixed cut, this specific cut deserves a category of its own. Barion cut places the pavilion of a round brilliant cut into gems with fancy shapes. It can be also found with a step-cut crown too. This will produce great brilliance than some other cutting styles. Barion cuts can vary significantly in their facet arrangements and will be available in almost any shape.
Modified Cuts
Diamond cutters often modify the basic diamond cut styles to maximize the use of rough stone and for increasing the brilliance and other qualities of diamonds. They are known as modified cuts. Even though the number of facets and their arrangement can vary for these cuts, the shape of facets will always remain the same.
