With so many celebrities picking unusual cuts, it may be surprising to learn that the round-cut solitaire is still the most popular cut. It is estimated that 65% of all loose diamonds sold are round-cut diamonds. The reasons for this preference stem from a variety of factors. One, the stone cut is uniquely suited to bring out the natural fire and brilliance of diamonds. Two, the popularity of the stone makes it a good purchase for resale. And, lastly, the insurers will insure a round-cut diamond more readily than a fancy-cut diamond whose value may not hold steady over the years.
Why The Round Cut is a Show Off
No matter what diamond you are cutting, it will have three basic components: the crown, the girdle, and the pavilion. The crown is the table surface of the diamond along with any facets carved along the top part of the diamond. The girdle is the circular band that separates the crown and the pavilion. It is usually located on the widest part of the diamond and is a very thin band. The pavilion is the area underneath the band whose job it is to reflect light back through the diamond to sparkle in your eyes. In order for any diamond to have a great sparkle, it has to be cut to specific proportions in the crown, girdle, and pavilion to make the most of the stone.
Unlike other cuts, the round cut diamond is a very well proportioned pattern that reflects light from all directions in the pavilion back out through a good-sized but not overly large crown. Although the stone will need to be well cut, according to the blueprint of a round cut diamond, it typically can have a whole lot more sparkle than other cuts. As a general rule, you do have to be aware that even a poorly cut round cut diamond will suffer in the sparkle factor, so make sure you get a round-cut that is ideal, if you want to get the best play of light on the stone.
The Ideal Round Cut Diamonds
Ideal round cut diamonds are cut in very stringent proportions that guarantee the stone will be all that it can be. There are a number of retailers that promote specific ideal cuts and that sell them to the general public. Abazias has a diamond called the “Couple’s Diamond” which is an ideal round cut diamond. These diamonds often sacrifice some of the carat weight in order to make the cut ideal, which is good for the consumer, but bad for the retailer. You do have to pay more for an ideal cut diamond, but you are paying for a diamond that will bring more sparkle into your love life because of the ideal cut. Ideal cut should be noted on the certificate and guaranteed. The diamond can be checked by a jeweler to confirm the proportions. In the Abazias Couples Diamond, a jeweler can view the hearts and arrows pattern under a special magnified viewer. It is not only romantic to know that your stone has secretly patterned hearts and arrows, signifying your deep love and commitment, but it is also a great way to visually inspect the ideal proportions of the stone.
The Popularity Of Round Cut Diamonds
As mentioned earlier, about 65% of all diamonds sold are round cut diamonds. Their popularity of the conventional engagement ring probably stems from the De Beers advertisement campaign, which stated “A Diamond Is Forever.” This is quite true of the round cut diamonds, which have never lost their appeal. Other fancy cuts tend to come and go in the public’s fancy as celebrities pick them up or drop them, but the round cut diamond is a mainstay.
Since cut is one of the 4 Cs that determines the value of the stone, the cut can dramatically impact the value of the diamond. If your diamond cut is popular, it tends to rise in value to fill the demand. If it goes out of favor, it can drop in value. If you stick with a round cut diamond, it is a classic and never goes out of style, and thus you retain the original value of the cut no matter how much time goes by.
Insuring Your Diamond Ring
You can insure your diamond ring against theft or loss under your present homeowner’s insurance policy. The thing is that it may be difficult for your insurer to determine the value of your ring, if it’s not a round cut diamond. If the value of the ring is over-appraised with respect to the actual demand for a particular cut, you can end up spending a lot of extra money on insurance premiums that aren’t necessary. If it is too low, you won’t be able to get the amount you need to replace the ring in the event of loss or theft.
Some insurers may even hesitate to insure a fancy-cut diamond ring because the value can be very subjective. They will mostly follow an independent appraisers evaluation of the cut, if they do decide to insure it. Some might not insure a diamond by itself, under its own policy, if it is less than $10,000. Many people don’t even bother to insure their rings and it is really a personal decision.
A Perfect Round Cut Brilliant Diamond for You
Despite whether you want to insure the ring or not, you do want to know that you got the type of diamond that is going to bring the most sparkle to your beloved’s eyes. For that reason, make sure to get a third-party certification of the diamond. It will include an evaluation of the 4 C’s, color, clarity, cut, and carat. If the report you get is from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), they usually separate their cuts into four categories: Class I, Class II, Class III, and Class IV. Class I stones are the best-proportioned stones. Class II are also good-cut stones. The rest of the classes are usually not well-proportioned cuts.
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May 31st, 2011 at 2:30 pm
Solitär is my favourite game. It is always good to learn new thing, thanks!