The sparkle is one of the most magical things about a diamond, warmly welcomed in pop culture. Simultaneously, it’s one of the easiest things to spoil in a diamond. One careless movement — and the charm is destroyed.
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How not to get in trouble while choosing diamond jewelry? Easy: check if its characteristics lead to the largest sparkle possible. In this guide, we’ll show you how.
What Is The Sparkle?
In brief, the sparkle is the reaction of a diamond to light. And the best sparkling diamond has the structure that reflects it in the best way possible.How to build such a structure in the raw stone? It’s real with a high-quality cut only. Here is the basic rule about the cut to generate the sparkle in diamonds:
| Going for “Fair” or “Poor” diamond cut is unacceptable if you want the most sparkling diamond |
The cutter should take care of the quality of diamond facets o create the sparkle. They are the places where a jewel interacts with light. Facets act like tiny mirrors on the stone’s surface, twinkling and sparkling. Thus, their number and purity always make a difference.
Schematically, you can see this effect in the image below. The light appears on the diamond’s surface, and you see how the stone sparkles in response.
What Makes A Diamond Sparkle?
A diamond sparkles because of how it interacts with light. The tiny surfaces, or facets, of a diamond catch and reflect light, creating the brilliant sparkle we admire. When light enters the diamond, it bounces around inside and exits in a way that dazzles the eye. This sparkle comes down to two main factors: brightness and fire.
Brightness is the white light that reflects off the diamond, making it look radiant, while fire is the colorful light that creates flashes of different colors. The way a diamond is cut plays a huge role in how much it sparkles. A well-cut diamond will capture and reflect more light, enhancing both its brightness and fire. So, when choosing a diamond, it’s important to consider how well it’s cut, as this will directly impact its sparkle and overall beauty.
Additional Factors That Help A Diamond Sparkle
Besides the quality of cut facets, diamond polish and symmetry change the brilliance. If your diamond is not round, check the length to width ratio. Its accuracy contributes to the equidistribution of light in various diamond shapes.
The spacing between diamond facets is also important. It contributes to the appearance (or absence) of dark areas on a diamond and its sparkling effect. In some shapes, you can spot the “bow-tie” effect, or a dark line in the center of the diamond shape. If you see something like this, it’s the evidence of a poor cut. This line spoils the elegance and beauty of the diamond’s appearance.The optimal spacing and perfect symmetry make each facet sparkle to the greatest.
| The brilliance of a diamond depends on the quality of its facets — together and separately |
Brilliant Cut Diamond, The Top Diamond Choice
In 1919, the famous diamond cutter Marcel Tolkowsky invented the formula to achieve the top diamond brilliance. Since then, each diamond that addresses his criteria is titled “brilliant cut diamond.”
What unites perfect stones? Among all, such diamonds have a specific number of facets — 57 or 58. The classic round-shaped diamond is a top representative of this cut. It’s capable of creating the maximum sparkle — in terms of both brilliance and fire.
Besides, the brilliant cut diamond has the most scintillation — the dynamic flash effect that appears when you move a stone. These interchangeable flecks are multicolored and play with the dark areas in a stone.
What Makes A Diamond Cut So Brilliant?
The brilliance in the diamond is the interplay of its facets. Their number and ability to reflect the light by themselves and to each other work magic in a stone. The more facets a diamond has, the more complex the result becomes.Just imagine what mastery is needed to orchestrate such a fragile and sophisticated interplay! That’s why the quality of a diamond cut is an art.
How To Spot The Brilliant Cut?
If you’ve chosen the classic round shape for a diamond, your chances to get the brilliant cut are the highest. Still, to pick the most sparkling stone, check its diamond cut.
For this insight about the round brilliant cut, open the GIA certificate. It must go with each diamond purchase. In this document, make sure the jewel has an “Excellent” or “Very Good” mark in the “Cut” category. In practical terms, this word describes diamond sparkle and brilliance.
To check the brilliant cut by yourself, follow our instruction:
- Put a diamond under the intense light.To spot all the tiny details, pick at least 4 different light sources and put them from all quarters of the stone. This way, you’ll spot all the sparkle it’s capable of producing. But don’t go too far with light — an overbright environment is dazzling. It will lead you to inaccurate conclusions.
- Observe the diamond in different light circumstances.Examine your jewel under spot and diffused light sources. Also, check the jewel in natural daylight. Note all the differences and how the intensity of sparkling changes. Does it satisfy you?
- Calculate the number of facets.Make sure the diamond has 57-58 facets. Otherwise, it’s not a brilliant cut.
- Determine the cut quality.Even though the exact cut grade is assigned in the laboratory, you can still check its quality. For this, find your answers to these questions:
- Is my diamond very bright?
- Does it have a significant contrast between dark and bright parts?
- Are the sparks sharp? Are they well-balanced?
- Can I describe this diamond as attractive?
| The brilliant-cut diamond is an extremely pretty and sparkling stone that has an “Excellent” cut grade in its certificate |
Diamond Shapes With The Largest Amount Of Facets
In any diamond shape, the number and the quality of cut facets create the most sparkle. So, spot these 2 factors to make the best choice about any shape.
Among all the existing diamond shapes, a round-cut diamond sparkles the most. It has the perfect number of facets and the cutting style. From the very beginning, this diamond shape was invented to maximize the diamond sparkle. Yet, there are other sparkling diamond shapes also worth your attention.
Oval Shape
Oval-shaped diamonds have the same amount of facets as a round cut. The difference is in its length to width ratio. It makes such a stone look bigger. The oval option is a great value-for-money when it comes to sparkle.
Pear Shape
A pear-shaped diamond has a tear form that reflects a tremendous amount of light. It may also have 58 facets if cut by rule and line. Even so, the pavilion frequently misses 4 facets — the cutters can make it from 4, 6, 7, or 8 facets.
Marquise Shape
Marquise is the boat-like diamond cut. It’s composed of 33 facets in the crown and 21-24 facets in the pavilion. With an “Excellent” cut grade, that’s a great choice if you aim at most sparkling.
| The round diamond generates the most brilliance. The second place goes to oval, pear, and marquise shapes |
Heart And Princess Shapes
These two shapes reflect more than two-thirds of all the light that enters a diamond surface. Even though it isn’t perfect, the light distribution looks beautiful in them.
The tricky thing about heart and princess shapes is that it’s hard to achieve the perfect cut here. The exceptional mastery of a diamond cutter is a must. Also, pay attention to the ideal symmetry and polish.
Radiant And Cushion Shapes
These two options offer good sparkle for a low price. That’s because both radiant and cushion shapes mix the round-cut basis with other shapes. They create unusual yet brilliant appearances.
But again: since both radiant and cushion diamonds have less sparkle than top diamond shapes, carefully check the cut quality and the play of light on their facets.
Which Diamond Cut Has The Least Sparkle?
Baguette is the worst diamond shape in terms of brilliance.
This shape makes a diamond sparkle less, even if it has an ideal cut. But with poor cut, it really sparkles like… an ordinary baguette.
Going for Asscher and Emerald diamonds also means sacrificing a tremendous amount of brilliance. Their very design doesn’t allow to maximize the sparkling interplay between the facets, no matter how well-cut they are. Nevertheless, these diamonds are valuable for intensified clarity and overall elegance.
Also, there’s a rule applicable to all the diamond shapes: the fewer facets the cutter creates, the less sparkle, brilliance, and fire is this stone capable of.
| If you value diamonds for sparkle and brilliance, avoid baguette, asscher, and emerald shapes |
How Can The Setting Enhance A Diamond’s Sparkle?
The setting of a diamond plays a big role in how much it sparkles. To get the most out of your diamond’s brilliance, opt for a prong setting. This type of setting holds the diamond in place with small metal prongs that lift the stone up and let light shine through from all angles. This way, more light can enter the diamond and reflect off its facets, increasing its sparkle.
On the other hand, bezel settings, which encase the diamond with a metal rim, can limit the amount of light that reaches the diamond. This can reduce the amount of sparkle, as less light is able to enter and bounce around inside. So, if you want your diamond to sparkle its brightest, consider a setting that allows plenty of light to interact with the stone.
Which Is Better For Sparkling In A Diamond: Color Or Clarity?
The sparkle of a diamond is mainly determined by how well it reflects light, which is known as its “brilliance.” To maximize this sparkle, diamonds are cut with many facets—small flat surfaces that help light bounce around inside the stone. Imagine a disco ball with lots of tiny mirrors; it creates dazzling light patterns because the light reflects off in multiple directions. A diamond works in a similar way, with its facets catching and reflecting light to enhance its sparkle.
While color and clarity are important for a diamond’s overall appearance, they don’t directly affect its sparkle as much as the cut does. The cut of the diamond, which determines the number and angles of its facets, has the most significant impact on how much light is reflected. So, if you’re looking for the most sparkling diamond, focus on a well-cut stone that has many facets to create maximum brilliance.
Can A Good Diamond Sparkle Less In An Engagement Ring?
Yes, it can, but that’s not common. The stone can lose its brilliance if the jeweler isn’t careful while working with a setting.
The choice of a setting also makes a difference. Among all, it should let the light and reveal the best parts of a diamond for more sparkle. If you’re lucky to get the stone of exceptional brilliance, don’t hide it in a bezel setting — make it shine in a solitaire ring with a minimum number of prongs!
To intensify the sparkle, put diamonds in a halo or pave setting. This way, you’ll notice the magnificent play of not only facets but also the stones with each other. The exact choice depends on the size of your diamonds: halo design intensifies the sparkle of a center diamond, while the pave band creates the line of tiny sparkling jewels.
The best metals for a brilliant diamond are white gold and platinum. Thanks to their color and quality, they set off a diamond sparkling and add light to maximize its magnificent effect.
Why Choose Diamonds With GIA Certification For Maximum Sparkle?
When choosing a diamond, make sure it has an Excellent cut grade from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). GIA is known for honest and accurate grading, unlike some other organizations, such as IGI and EGL, which may give inflated ratings. So, stick to GIA-certified diamonds to be sure you’re getting a diamond with a superior cut for the most sparkle and brilliance.
Conclusion
When it comes to diamonds, sparkle is what makes them so special. The main thing that affects a diamond’s sparkle is its cut. The best cut is the brilliant cut, which has 57 or 58 facets that reflect light in a dazzling way. To get the most sparkle, make sure your diamond has an Excellent cut grade from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). GIA is known for being honest and accurate in its grading. The setting of the diamond is also important. Settings like prong mounts let more light into the diamond, making it sparkle more.
Bezel settings, on the other hand, can block some light and reduce sparkle. While color and clarity are important, the cut is what really makes a diamond shine. Choose a well-cut, GIA-certified diamond and a good setting to ensure your diamond sparkles brilliantly. Looking for a dream diamond ring? The Diamond Registry is your go-to resource for finding and selecting the perfect gem, with expert guidance to ensure you get a stunning diamond that meets all your desires.
