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DIAMOND ANATOMY

From earth to rough to final polished diamond, there are a lot of choices to be made before your diamond becomes your diamond. Understanding diamond anatomy including the language and meaning of terms referring to your diamond is very important in understanding what you are getting. Once you have a better understanding of diamond anatomy, you can make better buying decisions. Let’s define the terms that define your diamond.

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DIAMOND GIRDLE

Anatomy Of Diamond And Diamond Girdle

The widest part of the diamond anatomy is actually referred to as the The Girdle. It's the perimeter or outermost edge of the diamond. Usually the diamond’s girdle is the part of the diamond that's used to hold it in place in the ring setting. The diamond girdle thickness is very important and must be just right to provide the best appearance and strength.

DIAMOND CROWN

Anatomy Of Diamond And Diamond Crown

If we picture the girdle as the widest part, then the portion of the diamond’s anatomy above the girdle is the CROWN. The crown is topped off by the table - usually large and flat which happens to be the biggest facet on the diamond. This is where light enters the diamond and the brilliance begins. The crown of a diamond can greatly affect the diamond’s appearance. The angle of the crown is typically between 32 to 36 degrees.

DIAMOND PAVILION

Anatomy Of Diamond And Diamond Pavilion

In a diamond, the pavilion is the space below the girdle. This part of the diamond’s anatomy is frequently the noticeable “V” shape of the base of the diamond. The pavilion acts “behind the scenes” and is the part of the stone that reflects light back through the crown at the viewer.

DIAMOND CULET

Anatomy Of Diamond And Diamond Culet

The diamond’s culet is a facet cut at the very tip of the bottom of the diamond anatomy. This facet is cut to help protect the diamond from splitting or cleavage. It also keeps the fragile tip from being chipped. Diamond Culets are sometimes cut parallel to the table of the diamond adding more brilliance and refraction.

DIAMOND TABLE

Anatomy Of Diamond And Diamond Table

The "table" of a diamond is actually the largest facet of all, and it is the flat facet at the very top of the diamond’s anatomy. This is where the most light enters and reflects back out to give a diamond its sparkle. Some people call that the "face" of the diamond. The diamond table spread is the percentage of space that that table takes up of the entire area of that crown. This can determine the amount of light let into the diamond and the diamond’s overall performance.

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