Glossary of Diamond Terms

If you are shopping for Diamonds, there are probably more than a few terms you’ve never heard before. But while you may not think it’s that big of a deal to not know their meanings, when it comes to buying Diamonds, the more you know, the better.

Here is a glossary of some common Diamond-related terms you may encounter during your purchase!

Girdle: The girdle of a Diamond is the Diamond’s perimeter, which divides the pavilion from the top of the Diamond, the crown. The girdle is generally where the prongs on a ring sit, and there are ideal girdle sizes that affect the appearance of a diamond’s symmetry. The girdle is also where the Diamond itself is measured from when measuring the Diamond in millimeters.

Pavilion: The Diamond’s pavilion is its bottom half, which sits between the girdle and the culet. While most of the time you will not see the pavilion, a good pavilion is important because when cut well it creates many facets which catch the light and make your Diamond sparkle.

Culet: The culet of a Diamond is the point at the base of a Diamond’s pavilion where all the pavilion’s facets meet. Pavilion facets should be cut perfectly even, or they aren’t considered a culet but a polished facet or a rough culet.

Crown: The crown of a Diamond is the portion set between the girdle and the very top of the Diamond, the table. A well-cut Diamond will have a crown between 30 to 35 degrees.

Table: The table of a Diamond is the very top of a Diamond –the flat part you see when you are looking down at the Diamond. The table is cut to refract light into the Diamond, intensifying its brilliance and fire.

XXX Rating: A triple X Diamond is a Diamond that gets an excellent rating on three main categories- cut, symmetry and polish.

• Cut: (see below)
• Symmetry: The symmetry of a Diamond is its shape and the arrangement of its facets. When perfectly aligned, the Diamond‘s symmetry affects its brilliance. The more symmetrical, the more brilliant it appears to the eye.
• Polish: The polish on a Diamond is the way light reflects through the Diamond

Diamond Cut: The Diamond cut can be confusing to first-time Diamond buyers. That’s because unlike it may sound, the cut does not refer to the Diamond’s shape, but to the Diamond’s facets and how well those facets reflect the light. When grading the cut of a Diamond, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) evaluates the brightness, fire and scintillation of a Diamond.

• Brightness: A Diamond’s brightness is the external white light emitted from the Diamond
• Scintillation: A Diamond’s scintillation is how much sparkle it creates, and it’s the reflective patterns of dark and light area inside the diamond.
• Fire: The fire of a Diamond is the coloring of the diamond, i.e. the rainbow and white colors seen within the stone.

Star Facet: The star facet on a Diamond is a triangle shaped facet between the table and the crown of a Diamond, typically seen on round brilliant cut Diamonds.

We hope this answers some questions about common Diamond terms you may hear when buying or selling a Diamond. If you have any further questions or are ready to buy or sell, please contact Diamond Factory Dallas today.

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