The Heart on Fire

Rough diamonds are cut to bring out their brilliance, each diamond needing to be individually assessed for its own unique cut. In effect, the cutter is producing a prism, which refracts the white light and bounces it off the different facets to produce the fire at the centre of a diamond.

Over the centuries, tools and designs have improved and the most common cut is called the round brilliant cut. This is a modern modification of the basic brilliant cut mathematically calculated by Marcel Tolkowsky, the ‘father’ of diamond designs, at the beginning of the Twentieth Century. The sole aim is to enhance the brilliance and fire of the stone, losing as little light as possible.

Technically, the facets are flat planes cut at angles on the diamonds. The idea is to angle the facet at the minimum angle possible such that when light strikes the facet it is reflected back into the stone. This angle is known as the critical angle; if the angle is not correct, then the light will not be reflected back into the stone and the area will appear to be colourless. The important measurement is the refractive index which is the amount that light that is bent as it passes through diamonds. It is achieved by calculating the angle at which light enters diamonds compared with the angle at which it leaves.

We at Marlows use only the best loose cut diamonds in our diamond rings and engagement rings to ensure that not a beam of light is lost.

Leave a Reply