Diamonds are among the world’s most precious gemstones. We love them because they’re durable for everyday wear, but mostly because they sparkle with a life of their own. The best diamonds sparkle so much they almost look alive!
When shopping for diamonds, you’ll hear lots of words thrown around like “scintillation,” “brilliance” and “fire.” And today, the diamond experts at Victoria Marie Jewelers are here to explain what those words mean and why diamonds are so stunning to see.
Quality Cutting Makes a Diamond Sparkle
A rough diamond looks like a transparent pebble. It doesn’t sparkle or look alive. It’s the skill of a professional lapidary that brings those qualities forth.
The modern diamond cutting process starts with lasers. A rough chunk of stone is divided into pieces, and inclusions (flaws) can be cut out or avoided. Next, the lapidary uses a wheel coated in diamond dust to grind and polish every facet. It takes time and skill — born from years of experience — to do it well.
The Popular Round Brilliant Cut
There are several popular cuts — pear cut, asscher cut, heart-shaped diamonds — but the round brilliant cut diamond is the most sparkly of them all. So they’re the most popular for engagement rings and diamond stud earrings. They are so sparkly, the light seems to jump right out of them.
To create that lively look, diamond cutters add 58 precisely polished facets to capture and reflect light back to your eyes.
Now, the cutter must get those facets just right! If not, the stone will look like a piece of broken glass. Too shallow, and the light passes through the stone and is lost. If the cuts are too deep, light leaves out the sides rather than back to your eyes.
So a well-cut diamond showcases three optical effects brilliance, fire and scintillation.
What are Brilliance, Fire and Scintillation?
You’ll hear these words when diamond shopping, but not everyone knows what they mean.
- Brilliance describes brightness. We’re talking about internal glow that makes diamonds look like they are lit from within, even in a candlelit room.
- Fire manifests as rainbow flashes. In bright sunlight, a fiery diamond reflects rainbows around you like a prism.
- Scintillation describes spots of light that appear as a diamond moves. It’s the sparkle of the diamond worn in your engagement ring or earrings.
Ultimately, every diamond is a unique entity. They’re tough stones, but it’s the skill of a cutter that brings out that gorgeous scintillation we all crave in quality diamonds. Contact us to talk with professional diamond experts and learn more today.
