Anatomy of a Diamond

Table Percentage

The ratio of the diamond’s largest and most prominent facet located on the top of the diamond relative to its overall width. The total diameter is equal to 100% while the size of the table is measured in relation to it. The table and depth percentages are the most important measurements when determining the overall cut grade and light performance of a diamond.

Depth Percentage

The ratio of a diamond’s depth and its overall diameter. It is measured by taking the distance between the top of the diamond known as it’s table, and the very bottom point of the diamond known as it’s culet. This is always described as a percentage of its overall diameter which equates to a fraction of the total diameter. The table and depth percentages are the most important measurements when determining the overall cut grade and light performance of a diamond.

Polish

Polish refers to how smooth each of a diamond’s facets are. During the process of faceting a rough diamond to a finished diamond minor, microscopic imperfections can appear on the surface of the facets. The quality of diamond’s polish is determined by a grader under 10x magnification based on the quality of its surface finish.

Symmetry

The symmetry of a diamond relates to how well its facets are shaped and aligned in relation to one another. A diamond with poor symmetry may exhibit light leakage which will compromise its ability to properly reflect and refract light.

Fluorescene

Diamond fluorescence is a common characteristics found in about one third of all diamonds. It refers to the soft glow emitted when ultraviolet (UV) light is exposed to it. While there are several colors in diamond fluorescence blue is by far the most common. Only about 10% of diamonds exhibiting fluorescence experience a change to their overall appearance. In some cases, these changes manifest in a slightly hazy or milky appearance. It is more common, however for blue fluorescence to improve the diamonds visual appearance when exposed to daylight.

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