Cut

Whether from the permafrost wastelands of Siberia or the inhospitable deserts of Australia for a diamond pebble it is a long arduous journey from the mine to become a beautiful faceted gem. From the thousands of tons of ore mined a meagre amount of rough diamond is extracted, in fact for every five tonnes of earth removed only one carat of the precious gem is found. Diamond is a rare and beautiful thing.

Overcoming extremes in the mining and recovery process is just the beginning of realising this gem€™s potential. The challenge is then for the master craftsman to balance a combination of factors creating the most desirable, valuable faceted gem in the most economically feasible way.

Before any facet can be placed on the rough diamond crystal, the designer or €œmarker€ needs to consider the possible outcomes for the diamond. The marker must evaluate the diamond rough closely. Firstly they must take into consideration the 4 C€™s- clarity, carat weight, colour and cut.  Fashion trends and crystal shape are two other important factors that can determine the final decision for the rough. Whichever option the designer chooses, the final stone must be the best expression of these factors, to maximise the use of the crystal and create the most valuable gem.

Cut and Shape

The quality of the proportions and symmetry of the final stone are reflected in the marker€™s decision. The marker must balance between maintaining maximum carat weight, achieving the highest possible clarity combined with the highest possible cut grading. This in turn influences the best possible expression of body colour.
The cut of a stone is often referred to as the €œmake€. Polished stones are priced not only according to their colour and clarity grading, but the quality of the cut as well. To produce a well proportioned diamond means sacrificing more of the crystal, which ultimately adds to the cost of the diamond. This explains why finer quality cut goods can command a higher premium.

Consumer demand influences the shape to be cut.  If a piece of rough is capable of producing either a 1.00ct Princess cut or a 0.80ct Round Brilliant cut, the decision might then be based on market demand. If the trend is towards 1.00ct Princess cuts, less 0.80ct rounds may be cut perhaps leading to a shortage of these goods.