Polish and Symmetry Should be Exceptional

Ideal cut diamonds are cut to widely accepted proportions and angles, however, sometimes the cutter does not spend the extra time finishing the stone in ideal fashion. Finish includes reaching the degree to which the finish of the surface approaches optical perfection.  A well polished diamond shows no polish lines or other surface blemishes under 10x magnification.  Finish also addresses the symmetry of the stone which includes the exactness of placement and shaping of opposing facets and other portions of a finished diamond.  Symmetry is judged on the basis of the degree to which the shaping and placement of facets yield exact mirror images of opposite features.  The hearts and arrows pattern is only possible when exceptional symmetry exists.  As mentioned before, hearts and arrows diamonds are "super symmetry ideal cuts".

Time and money…is a big consideration in the diamond manufacturing business.  As outlined before, diamonds cut to ideal proportions cost more.  If you are not prepared to compensate the cutter for (painstakingly) grinding away valuable rough material… don’t buy an ideal cut diamond. Fewer than 1% of all diamonds become ideal cuts.  Hearts and arrows are exceedingly rare, as even fewer are cut to this new higher standard.

Hearts and arrows are not for everyone.

This web site was designed to be an invaluable tool to instruct the discerning buyer about the merits of buying cut.  There is a lot of good information on the Web regarding color, clarity and carat weight. Unfortunately, there is much misinformation about diamond cutting and specifically what constitutes an ideal cut.

Caveat emptor

As they gain in popularity, many sellers will call any above average cut "an ideal cut". Now you know…don’t take a sellers word for it.  Ask for proof. If the diamond has a certificate (most high quality stones do) ask for a print out from a Sarin Dia-mension machine using AGS or AGL software.  Only AGS- O or AGL- Excellent are acceptable.

Note: the AGL (Associated Gemmological Laboratories of Japan) Excellent grade allows 58% tables. Most American ideal cut sellers include table sizes from 53% to 57 ½% only.  These precise measurements should be generated by computerized measuring devices such as the Sarin Dia-mension or similar. Though possible to measure by hand using a proportionscope, all major labs use the automatic machines as they are more accurate and repeatable.

GIA Report on a Hearts and Arrows Ideal Cut
Note: excellent polish and excellent symmetry

We are purveyors of the worlds’ finest cut diamonds.

As members of the New York Diamond Dealers Club and importers of fine cut diamonds for almost two decades we supply many of the countries top jewelers.  One of our distributors may be in your area.  We operate as dealers to the trade and no sales are made directly to the public.  E-mail us with your zip code with your specific questions about ideal cut and hearts and arrows diamonds or for the name of one of our distributors nearest you.