Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Fine Jewelry: How Cut Affects Clarity

Is cut more important than clarity when evaluating diamonds? You could spend hours speculating on the merits of one over the other. However, to get a clear answer, you need to grasp the relationship between the two. More importantly, you'll need to think about what you value in fine jewelry.

A diamond's cut pertains to its external proportions, as well as the skill of cutting and polishing. Diamonds can be cut in such a way that it reaches its highest selling price, or maximizes its capability for brilliance. The clarity of diamonds, on the other hand, refers to the number of imperfections a diamond has. High quality diamonds have less imperfection, and are subsequently considered more beautiful and expensive.

Clearly, the skill with which a diamond has been cut will impact its clarity. In the diamond cutting and polishing process, this is one of the few factors which can be controlled. Only the most precise craftsmanship can guarantee that a raw piece of diamond will be recut into fine jewelry.

On the other hand, the clarity of diamonds can be poor independent of the quality of the cut. Clarity is also based on the quality of the original diamond. As a buyer, you need to be mindful of this and put any diamonds you intend to buy under a microscope or loupe to check for flaws yourself.

When you look at a round cut diamond, you'll realize how critical it is to cut a diamond with a reasonable amount of skill. It will also become more evident just how closely cut and clarity are connected to each other. Round cuts are famous for having the most potential for brilliance above all other cuts. Any errors in the cut or internal flaws, even minor, will reduce that potential considerably.

Do you like fine jewelry? Do you think it's the diamond with the best cut, or the highest clarity? You have to look at both factors. However, you can look at the cut first, since it affects clarity, as well as carat weight. Prioritizing one of the four C's over the others is counterproductive, if you lack a basic education on diamonds.

A diamond's cut refers to its external proportions, as well as the skill of cutting and polishing. The clarity of diamonds, on the other hand, refers to the number of imperfections a diamond has. When you look at a round cut diamond, you'll realize how important it is to cut a diamond with a reasonable amount of skill. Only the most precise craftsmanship can guarantee that a raw piece of diamond will be recut into fine jewelry.

-Lorraine Jacobs

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