How significant is a thick to very thick girdle??

[GarGan]

How significant is a thick to very thick girdle?? and how much of an impression does it make on a diamond??

 

[valeria101]

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On 11/24/2003 11:56:14 AM MARDELEAN wrote:

How significant is a thick to very thick girdle?? and how much of an impression does it make on a diamond??----------------

There are three effects to speack of: the thick girdle adds to the overall depth while detracting from the visual size (face-up) of the stone, reduces light return, and may (not necessarily) be sign of imperfect symmetry. All in all, a thin to medium is better. The fourth detraction is a matter of language: 'very thick' effectively means 'off scale' it could be quite thick indeed with all of the above effects proportionally worsened. The girdle itself is not readily visible (only from the side, in an open setting), but it's effects are. It can be seen in an undesirable way if it is unpolished and thinck: then one could probably see it's reflection within the stone.

Hope this helps!

 

[knowverylittle]

This is from a rank-amateur but I have been told the main problem is that it detracts from the stones width (face-up diameter) for a given carat weight. If it is a constant thickness all the way around it should not matter much in other respects (so I have been told). Thin->Medium is apparently ideal.

Apparently it is a factor of the cutter wanting to maximum carat weight from the initial rough rock. Don't touch stones that are thin->think as that will certain adversely affect the symmetry.

I am only someone who surfed the web for a couple of months so please believe everyone else over me if they contradict this information!

 

[Mara]

Part of what a thick - v.thick girdle does is carry alot of weight in that girdle area. If a stone is best served with thin-medium or similar, whatever extra weight that hides in the girdle is weight you are not seeing where it should be, in the top/diameter of the stone. Many v-thick girdle stones look smaller than they really are--so if you are going to get one, be sure you aren't paying for an ideal stone or for the price that ctw commands. You should be paying less, because the stone looks smaller.




Also sometimes a girdle comes up thicck because the cutter was trying to maximize the weight from the rough. e.g. if the cutter has the opp to cut a 'perfect' .97c stone with a thin-med girdle, or jump slightly over the 1c mark and cut a 1.01c stone with a thick-v.thick girdle...which commands more money? The carat weight is what people look at mostly when pricing and/or buying stones. So that 1.01 stone will probably command significantly more $$ than the well-cut .97c stone. This is why I am usually a little suspicious when I see 1c exact stones, or 1.01...not always but sometimes, there is a reason that stone is *right* at that mark.

 

[spicolicpa]

1 Ct. is a mark many customers and vendors shoot for....it a cost benefit relationship every buyer should analyze. What was sacraficed to achieve this "sweet spot". Possibly nothing....

It seems to me there are some sweet deals in the "sub-sweet" spots.

A very very thin girdle can lead to durability issues as well.

 

[knowverylittle]

>>This is why I am usually a little suspicious when I see 1c exact stones, or 1.01...
Fantastic observation. Cannot believe I never twigged on that before. Your information is always great Mara. Don't go away, until at least the end of January anyway (when I'll buy).