Table:
The flat facet on the top of the diamond. It is the largest facet on a cut diamond.
Crown:
The upper part of the diamond above the
girdle. Consists of a large flat area on top called a table, and
several facets below it
Girdle:
The outer edge or the widest part of the diamond forming a band around the stone.
Pavilion:
The bottom part of the Diamond, below the girdle.
Culet:
A tiny flat facet that diamond cutters
sometimes add at the bottom of a diamond's pavilion. Its purpose is to
protect the tip of the pavilion from being chipped or damaged.
Depth:
The height of a diamond from the culet to the table. The depth is measured in millimeters.
Crown angle:
The angle at which a diamond's bezel
facets intersect the girdle plane. This gentle slope of the facets that
surround the table is what helps to create the dispersion, or fire, in
a diamond. White light entering at the different angles in broken up
into its spectral hues, creating a beautiful play of color inside the
diamond. The crown angle also helps to enhance the brilliance of a
diamond.
Table percentage:
The value which represents how
the diameter of the table facet compares to the diameter of the entire
diamond. So, a diamond with a 60% table has a table which is 60% as
wide as the diamond's outline. For a round diamond, gemologists
calculate table percentage by dividing the diameter of the table, which
is measured in millimeters (this millimeter measurement does not appear
on diamond grading reports) by the average girdle diameter. For a fancy
shape diamond, table percentage is calculated by dividing the width of
the table, at the widest part of the diamond, by the millimeter width
of the entire stone.
Facet:
The smooth, flat faces on the surface of a
diamond. They allow light to both enter a diamond and reflect off its
surface at different angles, creating the wonderful play of color and
light for which diamonds are famous. The table below shows all the
facets on a round brilliant cut diamond. A round brilliant has 58
facets (or 57 if there is no culet).
Symmetry:
Refers to variations in a diamond's
symmetry. The small variations can include misalignment of facets or
facets that fail to point correctly to the girdle. Symmetry is regarded
as an indicator of the quality of as diamond's cut; it is graded as
either Ideal, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair or Poor.
Fluorescence:
An effect that is seen in some
gem-quality diamonds when they are exposed to long-wave ultraviolet
light (such as the lighting frequently seen in night clubs). Under most
lighting conditions, this fluorescence is not detectable to the eye.
However, if a diamond is naturally fluorescent, it will emit a soft
colored glow when held under an ultraviolet lamp or "black light."
Fluorescence is not dangerous to the diamond or to the wearer; it is a
unique and fascinating quality that occurs naturally in a number of
gems and minerals. Most commonly diamonds fluoresce blue, but can also
fluoresce yellow or white depending on which trace elements are found
in the matrix of the diamond crystal. Fluorescence is described as none
(or inert), faint, negligible, medium, strong and very strong.
Fluorescence in diamonds can have both favorable and undesirable
effects. For example, diamonds in the color range of I to N with medium
to strong blue fluorescence can appear more colorless, which is an
obvious advantage. The blue acts to mask or offset the very faint body
color of these diamonds. On the other hand, diamonds with very strong
fluorescence can exhibit an oily or milky appearance, even under
incandescent lighting. However, according to a GIA study, the average
observer could not detect any difference in color or transparency when
viewing diamonds with fluorescence.
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