Brilliant Cut

When compared to the old mine cut and old European cut which have fewer and larger facets, this light to dark contrast can appear blocky and more irregular. The term ‘brilliant cut’ refers only to the cut, a myriad of shapes from emerald to pear, marquise and oval can all in faceted into a brilliant cut.

The History of the Brilliant Cut 

The brilliant cut diamond was first produced with the introduction and thereafter widespread use of certain technologies in the 20th century and is regularly seen from the 1970s. Today it is the most common cut of diamond available. 

The rough diamond crystal is examined, and the maximum yield obtained by inputting the dimensions on the rough. This is a process which originally was done by an individual known as a ‘marker’ and shows where the stone should be sawn to maximise the yield. At the same time, the stone is louped, taking the 4C’s into account to determine the most effective way of producing diamonds with the highest possible grades.

The skill of sawing a diamond by hand is only practised by a few diamond cutters today, and therefore most are mechanically sawn, by blade or laser. Originally the bruter would then rub two diamonds together to form the desired outline, however towards the end of the 1980s, a new fully automated approach to bruting was invented which created a perfectly circular outline. 

Why Choose a Brilliant Cut?

Brilliant cut diamonds are cut with shallower proportions which means that face up, they have a more crisp, symmetrical appearance which some deem cleaner or more ‘perfect’. This cut also has an additional benefit in that when compared to a diamond of antiquity of the same carat weight, a brilliant cut will often appear larger, due to a thinner girdle and shallower depth. 

Due to these proportions, they often appear best when in bright light as the light that reflects inside the diamond produces a high degree of fire. Modern technological cutting advancements also mean there is less waste from each rough crystal.

Berganza’s Brilliant Cuts

At Berganza, we offer a beautiful array of pieces which incorporate brilliant cut diamonds, both as the centerpiece, and in cluster designs where they are incorporated in an abundance in smaller sizes as an adornment. Brilliant cut diamond rings, earrings and necklaces can be seen in a myriad of our vintage jewels from the 1970’s onwards. Make an appointment in our showroom today and one of our specialists would be delighted to take you through the collection.