The carat and clarity are important considerations when buying a diamond, but what about cut? It’s a common mistake to confuse them. To help you decide between diamond cut good vs very good, here’s a breakdown of the differences between these three. In most cases, color and clarity are more important than cut. If clarity and color are important to you, look for an excellent cut.
However, if you’re only looking for a good cut, you should consider its carat.
Excellent
The difference between an Excellent and Very Good cut is most noticeable when light passes through the diamond. An Excellent cut diamond displays good brilliance, but loses more light than a Very Good cut. Moreover, the higher the cut grade, the more brilliance, sparkle, and brightness the diamond displays. The question is, however, whether a higher cut grade is worth the extra money. Let’s examine each of these qualities.
Very Good
A Very Good diamond cut grade is comparable to an Excellent diamond cut grade. While the arrows pattern is irregular in size and shape, and the girdle facets are probably not the same size, the diamond does display good symmetry and polish.
The diamond’s light performance is slightly below average, but GIA still awards it a Very Good cut grade. To get the best value for your money, you should look for a diamond with a Very Good cut grade.
Good
The distinction between a Very Good diamond cut is a complex one. Essentially, excellent and very good diamonds are both of excellent cut quality.
While a diamond that is considered Good will have a better overall appearance, a diamond that is Very Good or Very Poor will be less appealing overall. The GIA cut grading system is the most common. It applies to diamonds of all clarity grades, from D to Z. It includes five different cut grades: Very Good is bright and even, Excellent is well-balanced, Good is a bit duller, and Poor is the lowest.
Fair
A diamond cuts will affect its beauty and value. If it is cut poorly, the resulting sparkle and fire will be dull and lack the brilliance of a very good diamond. Its pavilion and crown angles are steep and can also make it appear small for its carat weight. In addition, the poor cut does not reflect light as well as a diamond of a higher cut grade. In general, the poor cut grade is not worth the money you pay for it.
Poor
The facets on a diamond are known as its “cut,” and they play an important role in defining its brilliance. If a diamond is poorly cut, light will easily escape through the sides and bottom of the stone. This results in a dull, lifeless sparkle, which will be lost if the diamond is poorly cut. AGS uses the term “ideal” to describe a diamond that meets these criteria. Poor diamond cuts are typically less than a half-carat, but they are still acceptable for a diamond of this size.
Ideal
While it’s true that the ideal diamond cuts will deliver the best sparkle, there is a lot of variation between them. Even diamonds with the same cut grade can differ in appearance. In general, diamonds with AGS Ideal or GIA Very Good grades have more uniform contrast patterning. The latter has greater variation, but allows some room for variation within the range. This is why consumers should use cut performance data to evaluate the diamonds they view.
Super ideal
A diamond’s brilliance is the white light it emits when the light rays strike it. Fire, on the other hand, is the colored light. Scintillation is the contrasting patterns of light and dark spots on a diamond’s surface. The Super Ideal diamond cut is one that balances these two properties. While the ideal diamond cut has an inverse relationship between fire and brilliance, it is still important to have an optimal balance of each to ensure that the diamond sparkles in all kinds of light.
Round
Conclusion
The GIA has set standards for all round diamonds and has grades ranging from Excellent to Poor. The cut grade of a diamond will determine its brilliance and fire. Round diamonds that have been cut with an Excellent cut have the best polish and brilliance. While 55% of all Round diamonds have an Excellent cut grade, 25-30% of them are considered less-than-excellent. Thousands of Excellent cut diamonds are reviewed by consultants to determine their quality.
