Whether you purchase diamond rings in Indiana or on the other side of the world, the cut of the diamonds set in the ring fall into several categories of shape or cut. The round cut is the most classic and the most common, and with good reason. Here’s a short but in-depth explanation of this legendary, timeless diamond shape.
Round-Cut Diamond: A Century of Innovation
The textbook example of a modern round-cut diamond often bears the technical name “brilliant.” Cut and name are so interchangeable, that the one often refers to the other. The modern round-cut diamond originated in 1919 and is the brainchild of Marcel Tolkowsky, a Polish Jewish diamond cutter considered the father of this cut.
Since 1919, the techniques used to attain the perfect round-cut diamond evolved. These techniques for an ideal round-cut bear the names of their innovators and schools: American Standard, Parker Brilliant, Practical Fine Cut, Ideal Brilliant and Eulitz Brilliant.
Cut, Facets & Brilliance
The round-cut techniques mentioned above differ in too many ways to explain here concisely. However, each technique entails its own unique set of steps to endow a given diamond with a certain number of facets. Facets are the flat surfaces cut into the diamond’s geometric shape.
A classic round-cut diamond has 57 or 58 facets. These facets, when optimally positioned, enhance the diamond’s ability to refract incoming light. This refraction creates the fiery brilliance that lends the round-cut its common name.
Crowns & Pavilions
The round-cut diamond’s upper and lower portions are the crown and the pavilion, respectively. The crown typically has 33 facets and the pavilion has 24. In a round-cut diamond with uniform cuts, the pavilion’s facets converge to a fine point. If a round-cut diamond’s pavilion has facets that do not converge to a fine point, the resulting facet where the point should be is the “culet.” It’s considered the 58th facet.
To see brilliant diamond rings in Indiana of the round-cut variety and other shapes, explore the vast array offered by Albert’s Diamond Jewelers, a leading online source of the world’s finest stones.
