However, if the blemishes are not serious enough to affect the clarity grade, they are included under polish as part of the finish grade.
Symmetry: characteristics include many features of poor and/or careless workmanship such as an off-center table or culet, a table not a regular octagon shape, an out-of-round or wavy girdle, non-parallel girdle and table, facets which don't meet or point properly or are misaligned between the crown and pavilion, and naturals and extra facets which are not graded under clarity.
Proportion: The full realization of the potential of a diamond's brilliance, dispersion and scintillation and getting the proper balance between these three elements is achieved mainly through proper cut proportions. The important proportions are:
- Table size
- Crown height and angle (angle of the bezel facets with the girdle)
- Pavilion depth and angle (angle of the pavilion facets with the girdle)
- Girdle thickness
- Culet size
Make: This is a trade term used to describe how closely the proportions of a brilliant cut diamond are to an "ideal". For stones approaching these proportions a diamond is said to be of good or fine make, and for those with problems of proportion are referred to as being of fair or poor make.
Effect of Cut Quality on Price: Cut quality commands a premium for two reasons. First, you are paying for a highly skilled diamond cutter's time, and it can take many hours to get all the proportions and angles to fall within the Ideal or SuperIdeal ranges. Second, more of the diamond is lost in the cutting process, because the goal is not to cut the heaviest diamond, but the best performing diamond.
