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There are four Cs to that are used as a measure of quality in diamonds and to a lesser degree other brilliant gemstones like sapphires, rubies, and emeralds. They are Cut, Colour, Clarity, and Carat. In this blog post we’re going to discuss cut, and in a few minutes you should have found out a little of what you need to know about choosing the right diamond cut for gold wedding rings or any other piece of jewellery.
Cut is what it says on the box – the way the stones are cut. It isn’t just about the shape – round, teardrop, square, and oval are the most common for diamonds – but a matter of symmetry and getting the optimal angle between facets. The facets are the individual flat faces on the stone, and the way they are arranged makes a huge difference in the amount of light gathered into the interior of the stone and refracted around. That’s what makes a precious gem sparkle, and a medium quality stone with a skilfully designed and executed cut will shine brighter than a better stone poorly cut.
Once upon a time, the only tool for cutting a diamond was another diamond, which restricted the complexity of the cut. However, we can now cut even diamonds with a laser, and computers can be used to guide that laser with very high precision. Mathematical analysis has been used to devise and test new and more elaborate cuts than ever before, so today’s diamonds sparkle more than ever before.
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Posted on: April 29th, 2010
The technology available for cutting the precious stones used in wedding rings and other jewellery has evolved from diamond saws – that’s saws made with diamond, not necessarily for cutting diamonds – to lasers, and our understanding of what makes different cuts work better or worse has also evolved, leading to significant improvements in the look and sparkle of loose diamonds and other precious gemstones.
The most common type of cut (certainly for diamonds) is the round brilliant. As the name suggests, it is round and designed for catching as much light as possible and bringing out the sparkle of the diamond. Because of the natural shape of diamond crystals, two of these of whatever size can be cut out of one perfectly shaped and flawless crystal with minimal waste. Round brilliant is usually used for wedding rings.
The other cut you may see in the central stone of engagement and wedding rings and diamond is the princess cut. This is an evolution on the brilliant theme is square or rectangular, and designed to bring out the internal sparkle to an even greater degree than the round brilliant, although the sheen of the outer panes of the diamond might not be so well served by it.
Fancy diamond cuts are usually made with irregularly shaped stones or those with flawed portions that need to be left unused. This doesn’t mean they are necessarily lower quality stones, just that another cut had to be chosen to make the best of the raw stone’s shape. Some fancy cuts accentuate colour, clarity or facet sheen (lustre).
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Posted on: April 19th, 2010
As you will see, at Marlows Certified Diamonds we have a huge range of diamond rings and other gold and diamond items available. Browse through our site yourself or come and visit one of our stores in Birmingham’s jewellery quarter to view the extensive variety available.
However, we would currently like to introduce you to some of the gems and jewellery we’re most proud of. These premium stones are of truly outstanding quality.
First, the loose diamonds. We have superb quality round brilliant stones of 1ct and greater, all cut using the latest technology and most effective topologies. These are suitable for the very best in custom engagement rings, for example. Please do enquire, as we may have immaculate specimens of up to 2ct or greater in size. A high quality diamond of this size may form the truly impressive centrepiece of a multi stone diamond ring or one of a pair of magnificent diamond pendant earrings. We also have emerald cut, marquise cut, and heart cut loose diamonds, as well as princess, oval, and pear.
Our platinum and white gold rings are also a point of note. We have a range with excellent stones, again with several styles up to 2ct in weight. For the customer seeking the very best, we have some with diamonds up to and over 3ct. The paler shade of the metal complements white diamonds perfectly, and a broad range of brilliant and unique cuts are available. As we only provide truly exceptional gems here at Marlows Certified Diamonds, you can be sure that the cuts are made to the very highest standards.
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Posted on: April 16th, 2010
Everyone has their own idea of the perfect shape of loose cut diamonds, and luckily there are plenty to choose from to suit all tastes. So, here are a few of the most popular cuts to give you an idea of what’s on offer.
• Emerald cut. As the name suggests, this cut was originally created for emeralds. It has since grown in popularity for diamonds as well, and with its smooth facets it creates a tranquil look that’s perfect for people who want less bling.
• Round brilliant cut. This is by far the most popular of all cuts, with diamonds of this nature being truly stunning. It offers perfect symmetry to reflect the maximum amount of light, giving a truly sparkling stone.
• Princess cut. This is a modification of the above with its edges being square rather than round, and thanks to its design it offers much more brilliance than regular square cuts.
• Marquise cut. This is an incredibly elegant cut, almost boat-shaped with curved edges and pointed ends. It offers something different to the usual brilliant cuts and sparkles beautifully.
• Pear cut. This is another variation of the brilliant cut, but because of its nature it offers much more variation in terms of size and shape. It can be modified to any preference with the length-to-width ratio being easily altered.
• Heart cut. These diamonds are perfect for more romantic pieces of jewellery, and much like other brilliant cuts they offer a great level of fire.
These are just a few of the most popular types of loose cut diamonds, and for a great selection make sure to come to us here at Marlows Certified Diamonds and see just how brilliant they can be.
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Posted on: March 8th, 2010
When it comes to choosing an engagement ring; be it for yourself or your partner, nothing makes it more special than that extra bit of customisation on your part. Engraving the ring with significant dates, e.g. the date you got engaged, makes that ring truly significant to you and your partner alone and can even provide as a beautiful heirloom for future family generations. However, even the smallest of touches to your engagement ring can really make a difference; simple things such as choosing the perfect stone or stone cut can make engagement rings more unique.
To get you along your way, we at Marlows Certified Diamonds want to present you with just a few of the little things you should think about when it comes to your engagement ring, because we understand just how daunting all of technicalities of engagement rings can be.
The cut of your diamonds
Diamonds can be cut and placed on the ring in various different ways, and each way can look entirely different to another. It is therefore important to familiarize yourself with the various cuts before deciding which one you like best.
o Round brilliant – a cone profile diamond; adding a smooth simple sparkle to any engagement ring.
o Princess cut – situated on a pyramid base, the diamond extends to a square top.
o Emerald cut – this cut takes the sophisticated edge with its hexagonal shape, adding to its overall clarity.
o Marquise cut – a slender cut of diamond that extends to two points at the top and point adding to the overall length of the diamond.
o Oval cut – the oval shaped diamond that gives off just as much sparkle as a round brilliant cut diamond if set into a four-claw setting.
o Pear cut – a round diamond that extends to a point, giving the diamond an evident gracefulness.
o Heart cut – shaped in the symbol of love, this diamond provides all of the imagery an engagement ring should symbolise.
The cut of the diamond essentially distinguishes from one unique engagement ring to another. Custom engagement rings are much more treasured than those that are mass-produced, as they provide more significance.
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