Ideal Cut Diamonds

Modern diamond cutting technology combined with new specialized computer software programs and optical instruments for measuring light have helped to revolutionize the diamond market. Consumers now have a quantitative basis for understanding the 4th and most mysterious "C."

The problem is that there are still many competing claims based upon one technology or another or on one research study or another. The various versions of "ideal cut diamonds" still tend to revolve around marketing with different sellers pitching an assortment of ideal cut, super ideal cut, and signature cut diamonds that measure at the top of the scale on some instrument or show patterns of hearts and arrows on certain viewers to one degree or another.

Over time, the confusion may settle so that the consumer can rely on one standard to asses diamond cut. And that is likely to be the GIA standard now that the GIA has begun issuing cut grades on round diamonds and soon will be cut grading princess cuts as well. The plan is to eventually include cut grades on all GIA diamond reports.

In the GIA system the top cut grade is "Excellent" and would equate to what is known as "Ideal Cut" in the market today. Interestingly, the range of diamond proportions capable of producing the most beautiful diamonds is wider than consumers have been led to believe by the marketing over the past few years. Cutters and dealers have know this for ages, but the GIA research has gone a long way in proving it.

The consumer who is confused about what is really an ideal cut diamond should look for a certified diamond with a GIA report issued after January 2006. If it is graded as Excellent for cut, you can be sure that it is performing at the top of the scale in terms of real-world fire and brilliance.