"Cut" is the 1st and most important of "The 4 Cs", because it is the primary determinant of the visual size, apparent color, and beauty of the diamond. The "Cut" is the only one of "The 4 Cs" entirely controlled by the hands of man.

When looking at a diamond, the light you see enters from the top through the table and crown facets. Due to the crystalline properties of the stone, as well as the angles and position of the pavilion facets, the light leaves the diamond, again through the table and crown facets, to reach your eyes. Conversely, a less well made stone will "leak light" through its pavilion, and appear relatively lifeless and dull in comparison.

Because of the optical properties of reflection and refraction, the "Cut" releases breath-taking flashes of colorless light called "brilliance" and "contrast", and multi-colored spectral displays, know as "dispersion". When moved, the small facets of the stone twinkle as they light up and extinguish again in turn. Besides showing great light performance, a superior "Cut" can also improve the stone’s apparent size and enhance perceived color by reflecting more light from edge to edge. "Cut" can make inclusions less visible by "losing" them in the scintillating light display.

The classes of jewelry grade diamond cutting have historically ranged from Ideal, to Premium, and to Commercial. Consumers might ask, "If a stone isn’t as pretty, why would it ever be made to less than ideal proportions?" The answer is: to preserve weight. The commercial cutting process can result in weight loss of up to 80% of the original rough diamond crystal. So, diamond manufacturers, seeking the greatest possible return on their investment, often decide that getting a larger finished weight is more important to them than the desire to cut the most beautiful stone.

In recent years, cutting technology has advanced so that certain extraordinarily skilled cutters, equipped with superior tools and facilities, can produce "Super Ideal Cut" diamonds of exceptional brilliance and beauty. Such modern round brilliant diamonds regularly display what is called a Hearts-and-Arrows pattern when viewed through a special viewer. However, be aware that the presence of a Hearts-and-Arrows pattern alone is not sufficient to have a great performing diamond. The Hearts-and-Arrows pattern needs to be combined with superior proportions and facet consistency to show the ultimate in quality light performance, brilliance, and contrast across the entire stone, edge to edge. Cut Grading standards have recently been instituted by the American Gemological Society (A.G.S.) and the Gemological Institute of America’s Gem Trade Lab (G.I.A.).

Curtis Miller, Inc. is honored to be one of less than twenty dealers in the world chosen to be a Select Dealer of Infinity Diamonds. Located in Antwerp, Belgium, the historic heart of the diamond cutting trade, Infinity Diamonds devotes itself to the best "Cut" precision and light performance possible. For more information on Infinity Diamonds, please see our "Infinity Diamonds" Tab!