How much extra size does an ideal cut "simulate"?

[NewNewbie]

Hi everyone!

First time poster after about a month''s worth of reading and learning - great information on this site and love hearing all your opinions!

I''m interested if there''s any quantitative estimates to how much larger an ideal cut diamond appears to be over a standard-fare Maul type stone of equivalent color and clarity. Perhaps this is way too broad of a question, but I thought I''d throw it out there anyways!

Personally, as a soon-to-graduate student with limited budget, it will be tough to cross the 1ct barrier and I''m looking in the 0.85cw area, as beautiful as possible. Of course, it will be great if a stone of that size in a H&A ideal cut can still "appear" over 0.9 compared to most stones on the market!

Thanks,

Eric

 

[NewYorker]

I think you have it backwards. Ideal cuts are just better at getting the maximum light reflected from the diamond - it's not for it to appear larger. An ideal cut would look the size it's supposed to. You can get a diamond that is shallow cut and will have a larger surface but it won't be as sparkly.

Anyone out there - am I wrong? I'm no expert, but that was my understanding.

 

[Rank Amateur]

Two things are at work here. One is actual stone diameter. Go to the mall and ask for one of the run-of-the-mall 1 ct stones. A well-cut stone will be around 6.5 mm diameter. I bet you can find stones down around 6 mm. This is a significant difference. I'd call that a "quantitative" difference. Do a pricescope search by size and then sort by price. You'll see some really deep thick-girdled dogs that are nothing but cheap.

The other thing at work is the "edge-to-edge" light return. Some claim that good light return at the periphery of the stone will make the better cut stone of the exact same diameter appear larger. I've not witnessed this one myself, but many a dealer uses it as a sales tool. Sort of the same as saying a lesser color will "face up" better in a well-cut stone. This optical illusion is an "eye of the beholder" type thing.

Look at a bunch of stones and have fun with it!

R/A