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All the while, the cutter is
balancing the goal of attaining maximum brilliance and symmetry against the
inevitable loss of weight necessitated by the very process of cutting.
Symmetry plays an important role in how light is returned to the eye, but it
is also a characteristic to be considered on its own merits. Think of it as
how closely the right side of the stone matches the left. Imagine placing a
mirror on an imaginary line that runs through the center of the stone. The
image in the mirror would correspond exactly to the half of the stone it
reflects. In a perfectly symmetrical stone, the left and right side of the
stone would be like mirror images of each other.
In addition to proportion and symmetry, how the diamond is polished affects
the final cut grade, too. A well-polished diamond produces sharp sparkle and
undistorted brilliance and fire. By contrast, even a well proportioned,
symmetrical diamond can look dull or fuzzy if the polish is poor.
The most exquisitely cut round brilliant diamond, called the "ideal cut','
earns a 0 cut grade on the AGS Diamond Grading Scale of 0-10. The 0 cut
grade is reserved for those round brilliant diamonds which conform to the
cut dimensions calculated to produce maximum brilliance with a high degree
of "fire" for the most beautiful return of light to the eye. It is a rare
diamond that adheres absolutely to these rigorous standards. But the grades
between 0 and 10 represent a broad spectrum of cutting characteristics for
you to consider.
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