You may be forgiven for thinking that the more cuts you make in a diamond, the more facets are created, and this increases the sparkle effect. This is true up to a point. However, you can have too many cuts, which causes the light bouncing off the facets of the diamond, (also known as refraction), to become diffuse and thus reduce the sparkling of the piece. Of course it is also true that if your diamond has too few cuts, then this reduces the amount of sparkle generated.

So what is the perfect number of facets? It is widely accepted that a round brilliant diamond with 58 facets produces the most amount of sparkle. It comes as no surprise then that this is also the most popular diamond of choice when it comes to picking out that special ring. It is important to know that facet number is one of a number of factors affecting diamond sparkle. For example, shape is also a big influencer, as  is the length-width ratio in diamonds. A case in point would be the pear shaped diamond. While it also has 58 facets, the shape of it slightly reduces the amount of sparkle generated inside the diamond when contrasted with the round brilliant option. The advantage  of the pear shape however is, that it has a more distinctive shape and can be a great option when looking for something more unique.

 

When it comes to the idea width-length ratio (the measure of how proportional the diamond is), the ideal depends on the shape of the diamond itself. A round diamond for example should have a ration close to 1-1.05, whereas a rectangular shaped stone would be 1.25-2. Making sure that your desired stone is within the appropriate range for its shape will also help enhance the sparkle effect. Other important measurements to maximize sparkle and not create a dull effect are depth and table percentages.

 

When it comes to color and clarity, the more flawless the diamond is (minimal amount of blemishes and inclusions), as well as minimizing the amount of color in the diamond, the more the brilliant sparkle of your jewel will be maximized. Being flawless (or as close as possible) in increasing sparkle is understandable, but why would you want to minimize the color? This is due to the fact that the diamond reflects white light which is key. By having a more colored stone, less white light is reflected and therefore less sparkle is produced. Of course if you prefer a jewel with distinctive colors they are available and sometimes more expensive than colorless ones due to the rare nature of colored stones.

 

Of course, when looking to get lab-created stones, you have the added advantage of being able to tailor make the diamond of your choice, including color, clarity, cut, and carat at a better price than naturally mined equivalents. Keep in mind that the number or carats do not dictate the level of sparkle. Carats are a indication of a diamond’s weight, cut is the key indicator of sparkle/fire, followed by color and clarity. As to whether color or clarity is more important, that depends on the shape of the diamond. For example, clarity takes presence for emerald, asscher and princess shapes, whereas color is more critical for cushion, radiant, pearl, and oval shapes.

 

Hopefully this blog has given you some info on:

• the most sparkling diamond cut
• the diamond sparkle factors
• the length-width ratio in diamonds
• importance of diamond proportions
• diamond brilliance and cut
• factors influencing diamond sparkle
• best diamond cuts for brilliance
• how diamond ratio affects sparkle
• understanding diamond refraction
• diamond cut vs. sparkle

 

Any questions about what diamond is right for you and how to maximize its sparkle? Feel free to get in touch at hello@thebetterdiamonds.com or click here.