Today we will talk about such precious stones as diamonds. As aesthetes say, a modern self-respecting girl is obliged to understand stones, their types, cutting options no less than in clothes. And this is not surprising, since well-chosen accessories in the image play an important role.
So, let's figure out what types of cut are used for diamonds?
How and what diamonds are cut
Modern stone processing technologies are very different from those used a hundred years ago. Craftsmen began to widely use various computer technologies to make diamonds unsurpassed in their characteristics.
Did you know that a diamond is a cut diamond?
At the first stage, the mineral selected for cutting is scanned and fully measured in order to create a 3D model of the gem in a computer program. The model contains all the defects of the stone and its characteristics.
Next, the technologist calculates various stone processing options and chooses the most profitable one. At this stage, a decision is made into how many parts to cut the diamond, depending on the presence of defects, as well as what type of cutting to choose.
Next, the technologist draws up a scheme according to which the entire cutting process will be carried out.
The next step is sawing the diamond. Typically, this process is carried out either in the traditional mechanical way using a diamond-coated copper disk, or with a laser. However, laser technology has not yet been fully developed, and there are times when stones burst, which is. generally costly.
Despite this, laser sawing is used quite often. And all because this method allows you to minimize the weight loss of the crystal. The temperature of "dismemberment" of the diamond is approximately 3000 degrees, and with this heating, the stone is still stable. The saw cut becomes black, as the surface layer of the stone partially turns into graphite when exposed to high temperatures.
At the next step - grinding - all blackening is removed. The stone is processed on a steel or cast iron disc with a diamond coating. The rotation speed is approximately 2500 rpm. Initially, linear edges are made, then final polishing.
At every stage of the work, uncommon precision and control is required. Therefore, only proven craftsmen with impressive experience and experience are allowed to manufacture super-expensive diamonds. It takes at least five years of work and approximately 2000 carats of processed raw material to train a highly qualified cutter. Work requires certain qualities of character: perseverance, patience, accuracy, painstakingness, few are ready for this.
Despite the fact that diamond is considered the hardest mineral, it is very fragile. If dropped or improperly placed on the grinding disc, the stone can simply split into two halves or crumble. Therefore, the price of a master's mistake is very expensive for the manufacturing company.
It is said that the weakest point of a diamond is the thorn.
After processing, the finished stones are sent for certification. Natural crystals over a carat are only sold with a certificate.
What does a rough diamond look like?
In nature diamond crystals looks completely different from cut diamonds. The mineral itself does not have a bright luster, and looks like an ordinary muddy stone.
Stones in nature can be both small and very large. However, finding a large diamond is a huge rarity. Such representatives receive their own names, and the most famous and expensive jewelers in the world are engaged in their cutting.
Each natural diamond has its own distinctive features: cracks, small chips, air bubbles, voids. It is by such differences that you can easily determine whether the crystal is real or synthetic. Because artificial stones are ideal in all their characteristics.
In nature, diamonds are formed into different shapes: a cube, an octahedron, a dodecahedron, etc. Some uncut stones have a completely incomprehensible structure and simply resemble a piece of a block.
How many facets does a diamond have
In jewelry, the “4C rule” is used to evaluate the cut of diamonds, which includes the following points:
- stone weight in carats (1 carat = 0,2 grams)
- purity;
- mineral color;
- cut.
As you can see, one of the items on this list is the cut. And it's not just that. Everything, depending on the type of diamond cut, will depend on the overflow and brilliance of the stone in the rays of light. If the processing of the mineral of the highest standard was unsuccessful, then the stone is already damaged, and its price will drop markedly. Therefore, jewelers take the issue of refining diamonds very, very seriously.
The term diamond cutting refers to the process of grinding a stone, by means of which planes are applied to the mineral to give the gem various shapes. The applied planes are commonly called faces or facets. As a result of diamond processing, it is possible not only to highlight its advantages, but also to hide its natural flaws, for example, internal or surface defects.
The number of facets a diamond has depends on the type of cut. However, in order for the stone to reveal its properties, jewelers empirically determined that there should be at least 57 facets.
The number of sides of the stone differs, depending on the style:
- 17 faces - simple type;
- 33 - Swiss type;
- 57 – classic Tolkovsky or “Russian” cut;
- 73 - type "hilay-kat";
- 86 - royal cut;
- 102 - majestic, only for large diamonds.
Now let's look a little at how the various components of a diamond are called.
The lower part of the diamond is called the pavilion.
- The dividing "line" that visually divides the stone into two parts is called the girdle.
- And the upper part of the processed mineral began to be called the romantic name of the crown.
- The platform is the flat facet on top of the crystal, which is the largest facet in any shape. Experts say that it is the platform that is the main source of brilliant brilliance.
The name of the cut of a diamond is determined by the contour of the crystal, if you look at the stone from the side of the platform, as well as the number, shape and principle of the arrangement of the faces relative to each other.
Types of diamond cut
And now let's briefly get acquainted with what varieties of modern cutting are most applicable now. These include:
- round;
- oval;
- baguette;
- a heart;
- marquis;
- Princess;
- pear;
- cushion;
- trillion;
- radiant;
- Emerald.
CLASSIC ROUND CUT
This type of cut is considered the most classic option. The technology was invented 100 years ago by Marcel Tolkowsky.
In 1919, this scientist calculated the optically ideal aspect ratio of a crystal. The beam entering the gem is twice completely reflected from the side faces on opposite sides and then exits the crown. Thanks to this geometry, the maximum sparkle and overflow of the diamond is achieved. According to the rules, a round cut contains 57 facets, so it received the letter designation KR-57. There are 33 facets on the crown of the diamond, and 24 on the pavilion.
Round cut products:
KR-57 is sometimes also called "Russian cut".
For small diamonds weighing less than 0,03 carats, a simplified type of round cut with 17 facets, which is designated as KR-17, is usually used. With this processing, 9 facets are made in the crown, and 8 in the pavilion. For large stones, much more complex shapes were developed for 74 facets 41/33, 86 facets 49/37 and 102 facets 61/41.
An interesting fact is that the problem of this type of processing is a very large loss of weight of the original stone. To obtain a round gem, up to 50% of the natural diamond is usually lost. It is obvious that such non-manufacturability negatively affects the price of the stone, since such a diamond will always be noticeably more expensive than any other cut.
BRILLIANT CUT OVAL
The author of the oval processing is Lazar Kaplan, the owner of the company Lazare Kaplan International. This type of cut was introduced to the world not so long ago in 1968.
At its core, the oval technology is very similar to the cutting of round diamonds, which allows the best way to convey the play of light of the diamond. However, the advantage is that the oval differs from the classic round technology in less loss of the initial weight of the stone. This is obtained due to the elongated shape of the crystal and the large size of its area.
Oval-cut products:
"BAGUETTE"
“Baguette” is a stepped cut with a rectangular contour. The ratio of length and width of the stones can be different. If it is 1:1, then the cut shape is called a "square". Rectangular "baguettes" have a ratio of 1,4: 1 or more. They are commonly referred to as Bp-33, Bp-25, Bp-13, where the number indicates the number of faces.
On the technical side, the baguette stone processing technology is the simplest type of cutting.
The “baguette” has fewer facets than most other types of processing, which is why this shape is used for small diamonds that are used as a placer on jewelry.
The “baguette” cut cannot fully close all the defects of the stone, therefore, crystals with the highest parameters are selected for this technology.
Baguette-cut items:
"A HEART"
The shape of the "heart" can rightly be called one of the oldest cuts, as it appeared several centuries ago. For the first time, the “heart” is found in the correspondence between the Duke of Galeazzo Maria Sforza and the diplomat Nicodemo Tranchedini in 1463. In 1562, Mary Stuart presented a ring with a diamond of this cut to Queen Elizabeth in England. After that, for several centuries, representatives of the royal estates exchanged "hearts", which symbolized the goodwill of the countries to each other.
To work with such stones, a highly skilled cutter with vast experience is required. The master must grind the product so that the rounded protrusions are smooth and balanced in sheen. A heart cut diamond has 59 facets.
"Heart" is a variant of the brilliant cut with variable length and width. Therefore, in order to fix the stone perfectly, a lot of effort is required. The insert is installed with the help of five prongs (part of the fastening of the insert in the piece of jewelry), which ensures its reliable fastening.
When choosing jewelry with a “heart” diamond, it is important to pay attention to the symmetry of the insert: both “half hearts” must be identical in shape to each other. And the recess between them should be sharply defined without cracks and other defects.
Heart-cut items:
"MARKIZ"
It takes a very skilled cutter to cut a marquise (seed-shaped) diamond. If the cut crystal is too long or too wide, then its brilliance property will not be optimal. The sharp ends of the stone should be perfectly symmetrical, and the sides of the stone should be mirrored not only in shape, but also in glow. The slightest mistake in technology will lead to a reduction in the cost of the stone or it will simply be sent for recycling.
“Marquises” suffer from such a disadvantage as the “butterfly effect”, when there is no light reflection on the crystal site, which greatly affects the cost of an individual gem. However, they learned to cope with this drawback by applying additional facets to the crown of the stone.
The first Marquise diamond to become publicly known was made for the French King Louis XIV, who commissioned jewelry to honor the dazzling smile of the Marquise de Pompadour.
The Marquis has 58 facets. The graceful elongated shape of the stone with sharp ends was especially liked by the ladies of the end of the last century, where this type of processing was most popular. Due to its peculiar shape, the marquise diamond seems to be visually larger, which attracts special attention.
Products with Marquise cut:
PEAR CUT
The cut under the tasty name "pear" is considered a hybrid variety, since on the one hand the stone is cut into a round shape, and on the other - under the outline of a marquise.
The first stone of this shape was created in 1458 by the jeweler Lodewijk (Louis) van Berkvem from the wonderful country of Belgium. This form then caused a lot of admiration among beauty lovers, but among jewelers, the master was subjected to constant criticism. And all because in order to give the nugget the specified shape, you have to sacrifice too much of the diamond. This shape of a diamond is sometimes also called a "teardrop".
In a pear, there are usually 58 shining facets. If the proportions are observed correctly, then such diamonds are characterized by increased scintillation (bright flashes of the color of the stone, which appear when it moves relative to the light flux). And the pear cut correctly emphasizes the natural color of the diamond.
The faceted diamond "pear" has proven itself perfectly in earrings and pendants around the neck. Rings with this shape are used quite rarely, as it is believed that it is impractical and not every hand will fit a diamond of this shape. But pendants, pendants or necklaces with a brilliant “droplet” look simply unsurpassed and very romantic. Earrings with small stones of this shape will visually stretch your face and make the image more attractive.
Pear-cut products:
PRINCESS CUT BRILLIANT
This form of diamond cutting was developed in the 1960s. In the 1980s, the stones saw the whole world and began to be called romantically "princess". This type of cut is considered one of the most modern.
The faceted princess diamond has a square shape and up to 78 facets. If you look at the mineral from the side, it seems that it looks like an inverted pyramid. Thanks to the additional facets, the “princess” scatters more light, which allows you to effectively hide inclusions and defects in the stone, and provides a fairly high level of brillation.
These diamonds are most commonly used today in engagement rings. However, the "princess" looks very beautiful in earrings, brooches, necklaces.
It is also noteworthy that in this type of processing, up to 80% of the weight of the original stone remains intact.
Princess cut jewelry:
CUSHION
“Cushion” is a cut that has four rounded corners and convex sides. The girdle somewhat resembles the shape of an ordinary pillow, and it is because of this that this type of minerals began to be called pillow-shaped.
The quality of the processing of the mineral is evaluated on a 4-point scale from A to D, where the cut class A is considered ideal, G is considered below satisfactory. But small diamonds called KR-17 can only be given two marks A - an ideal stone or B - good.
This type of square cut cannot be called modern. It was invented a long time ago, but the main popularity was gained in the Baroque era. Previously, the cushion was called "old mine" or there is another name "old mine cut". Such a simple name came about thanks to the Brazilian diamond mines, where diamonds were cut in this way. The first such diamonds appeared in the early 1700s.
Cushion-cut products:
"TRILLION"
The trillion cut is shaped like a triangle. Depending on the features, this type of processing is divided into:
- "trillant";
- "triangle";
- "trigon".
Usually, in order to cut a diamond in a "trillion", they make from 31 to 52 faces. The fifty-two-sided (T-52) trilliant cut, standardized in Russia, has 52 facets.
This type of processing was first created in Amsterdam. And already in 1962, Henry Meyer's company from the USA developed and patented the modern "trillion" cut, but over time, this processing became a common name for all triangular stones.
"Trillions" have a bright sheen and a noticeable iridescence, if the manufacturing technology has not been violated. Diamonds of this type are most often used as paired stones in stud earrings, pendants or paired rings.
Trillion cut products:
"RADIANT"
Radiant diamonds come in square or rectangular shapes. Some experts say that such crystals have absorbed the best features from "emeralds" and "princesses", since in terms of manufacturing technology, the bevelled corners of the stones reduce their fragility and make it possible to perfectly fix the inserts in the frame of the products.
During processing, from 61 to 77 facets are usually applied to the stone, including 8 faces of the girdle. Varieties standardized in Russia have from 65 ("Ra-65") to 89 faces ("Ra-89").
Because of the extra facets, the "radiant" can scatter more light than other types of stones. This gives the square and rectangular mineral an unsurpassed brilliance. In addition to this, the radiant shape perfectly hides inclusions and defects in gems.
"EMERALD"
Emerald-cut diamonds are rectangular, with truncated corners and stepped edges. The standards for this processing method were set in the first half of the 50th century. The stones have from 58 to XNUMX facets, the number of facets depends on the number of rows on the crown and pavilion of the crystal.
The stepped edges of this type of processing create a wonderful “hall of mirrors” effect. Upon closer examination, there is a feeling that flashes of bright white light flicker in the stones. The emerald cut does not seem as bright as the princess-cut or round-cut minerals, but with elongated contours and spectacular flashes of light, these beauties make an unrivaled impression.
Emerald-cut products:
"USHER"
The Asscher cut was developed in the early 1980th century and named after its creator, Joseph Asscher. This master, when King Edward VII commissioned him to cut the famous Cullinan diamond for the English crown. In XNUMX, Queen Juliana of Holland presented the Asscher Diamond Company with a royal title in recognition of the role the Asscher family played in the diamond industry.
In GIA and AGS lab certificates, the Asscher cut is considered one of the emerald cut diamond cuts. And there are still disputes about the differences between these types of processing.
The popularity of the Asscher cut peaked in the late 1920s, but remained rare until the end of the century. These stones could only be found in antique shops and specialized jewelry stores.
At the beginning of the new millennium, after several researches and developments of the latest software, the Asscher cut was improved and supplemented with new facets in order to achieve a more brilliant brilliance.
ROSE CUT
The cut shape of diamonds is often chosen based on the shape of the natural raw material in order to minimize the weight loss of the stone. In this regard, the treatment called rose is very successful. "Roses" are created from nuggets, allowing you to make a flat bottom and a domed top.
Rose diamond processing technologies are more than one century old. The oldest stone of this type is found in a pendant that dates back to the XNUMXth century.
Along the way, this cut has undergone many modifications. There were no more than 3…4 facets in the ancient stones on the dome. The final stage in the evolution of technology was the so-called "full rose" with 24 facets.
So, you got acquainted with the most famous types of diamond cut that exist in modern jewelry. We hope that this information has allowed you to expand your horizons in the field of beautiful expensive gems and perhaps you have new ideas of what you can give your loved ones for the next holiday.