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Cut & Proportion
The most important influence on a diamond is its cut and proportion. This determines its fire, brilliance and sparkle. A round brilliant cut stone is the most popular. It usually displays the stone’s qualities to their greatest potential, and is therefore the best “investment” cut.
Excellently cut and proportioned stones cost significantly more per carat than those that are not cut well. Frequently encountered defects in cut and proportion include:
· Table is not a reasonably accurate octagon
· Girdle is too thick
· Symmetry of crown facets off
· Misaligned culet, 5% - 25% off
· Stone too shallow
· Stone too thick
· Thin crown
· Thick crown
There is a fairly wide range here of cut defects and only an experience professional can determine the extent to which the value of a given stone may be lessened. A stone which suffers from several errors (which is fairly common) could have its price per carat significantly reduced.
Carat Weight
Diamonds of the finest quality are sold for the highest price per carat and diamonds of progressively less fine quality are sold for a progressively lower price per carat. There is an increase in the price per carat as we go from smaller to larger stones, since the larger stones are rarer. Diamonds are weighed in carats or points. There are 100 points to a carat.