Ideal Cut Diamonds

My name is Frank, and I have been cutting diamonds for over 25 years. The one thing that I am convinced of even more then when I first started cutting is the importance of the cut. My objective has always been to cut for beauty and not for weight. It is perhaps the most overlooked element that a purchaser makes when selecting a diamond.Fortunately today's consumer is paying much more attention to cut, and they are educating themselves to the necessity of it and not just the clarity and color grade. The cut of the diamond is of great importance because it governs value and beauty. That is why I cut to the Ideal proportions. When you are able to compare an ideal cut hearts and arrows to the same weight, color, and clarity diamond of a secondary cutting configuration, you will most likely be convinced of its superior nature. The reason being is that the ideal cut balances the white light and color light and maximizes their potential.

For me as a cutter the making of an ideal cut which exhibits crisp hearts and arrows is a thing of beauty that unfolds before the cutting loupe. I never tire of looking at the facets as they form and seeing how they all come together to create a work of art. This brings to me great satisfaction in knowing that the extra time spent has brought the ultimate beauty to a piece of lifeless rough. Cutting a diamond to ideal proportions with crisp hearts and arrow patterns takes great care and a considerable more time then do standard cuts. Most cutters will not take the time nor develop the skills necessary to master this cut. Fewer than 1% of all diamonds become ideal cuts and fewer yet of those exhibit crisp hearts and arrows.

AGS and GIA Reports?

The standard grading system which laboratories employ is heavily relied upon by the jewelry industry to provide the most authoritative and accurate information regarding the quality of a diamond. Issued by an independent gem lab, these reports provide a thorough evaluation of each stone and identify the diamond's imperfections. The American Gem Society is the leading gemological laboratory that assigns a cut grade to the round diamonds it examines. They use three factors to determine this grade: polish, symmetry, and proportions. The AGS assigns a zero (0) grade to the diamonds that have met ideal criteria for all three factors.

Polish - The final finish must be perfectly void of any streaks or marks left over by the manufacturing process.
Symmetry - Every facet needs to be of equal size and perfectly opposite its counterpart on the crown and pavilion.
Proportions - Ideal proportions are those strict angles and proportions that will maximize refraction and reflection. When proportions are ideal, the diamond will appear whiter because more light is reflected out of the crown. Even diamonds with more color will face up whiter.

Why AGS Triple 0 and not GIA ?

A diamond that receives the AGS-000 Ideal Cut rating for all three categories (polish, symmetry, and proportions) is commonly referred to by those in the know, as an AGS- Triple 0 Ideal Cut Diamond, The 0 stands for Ideal polish, Ideal Symmetry, and Ideal porportions. Triple Ideal Cut Diamonds are those stones that have achieved the highest standards currently acknowledged by AGS.

AGS and GIA are compatible in accuracy and integrity of their organizations and grading procedures. Both are known world wide and exhibit the highest standards in grading. The difference lies in the fact that AGS documents all the cutting angles and GIA does not. Consequently, you as a consumer, are left in the dark in knowing the angles of the diamond, and that costs you money.

This is important for you as a consumer, because AGS is the only way that you can know the cutting grade of your diamond. Many will offer you GIA grading reports with a sarin report which is a laser measurement of the angles of the diamond. The question that must be asked, if the diamond is a triple 0 as maybe represented by the seller, then why did they not send it to the AGS lab to get a triple 0? The fact is the diamond angles may be that of an Ideal, but will fail to the scrutiny of AGS standards.