Why is cut grade so important in a round brilliant?
Because it is the only shape where a laboratory grades light performance directly, and because the difference is visible. An Excellent-cut stone at a lower color grade will usually outshine a poorly cut stone two color grades higher. Cut is the grade to protect first.
What is the difference between Excellent and Very Good cut?
Under laboratory conditions Excellent returns marginally more light. In ordinary wear the two are very hard to tell apart, and a well-chosen Very Good often buys a meaningfully larger or cleaner stone for the same money.
Do I need a hearts-and-arrows round?
No. Hearts and arrows indicate exceptional optical symmetry and they are genuinely beautiful, but the pattern is only visible through a special viewer. It commands a premium for a property nobody sees in normal light.
What color grade is worth paying for in a round?
A round brilliant's faceting disguises body color better than any other shape, so G to I usually faces up white to the unaided eye, especially once set in white metal. Paying for D to F is paying for something most people cannot see.
Why do round diamonds cost more than other shapes?
More of the original rough is lost cutting a round than any fancy shape — often more than half. That waste is priced into the stone, which is why a cushion or oval of identical weight and grades usually costs less.
What clarity is safe in a round brilliant?
VS2 is reliably eye-clean, and many SI1 stones are too. The brilliant faceting scatters light in a way that conceals small inclusions, so placement matters more than the grade itself.
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