Cut vs Polish/Symettry

[BSHAW]

After looking online I realized that a lot of diamonds for sale online have different ratings for Cut then the ratings for polish/symettry but in the store the salespeople were giving me the polish/symmetry ratings to represent the cut of the diamond. So if the diamond is VG/VG for polish and symmetry is it a very good cut? or does this have nothing to do with it. Not sure if it matters but the diamond was princess cut also.

 

[belle]

polish and symmetry grades have more of an indirect effect on the overall cut. it is true that the more time a cutter takes with polish and symmetry, the more likely the cut will be good but you can''t directly correlate each polish/symmetry grade with the overall cut. this is further evidenced by the fact that you can have a well cut stone with mixed polish/symmetry grades of vg/ex. these grades, in the general sense, do not determine the overall cut. they are but a piece of the puzzle.

 

[Ring a ring]

So what grade of polish and symmetry is needed before you would actually notice a difference to the naked eye?

 

[JohnQuixote]

Date: 12/2/2005 2:55:15 PM
Author: Ring a ring
So what grade of polish and symmetry is needed before you would actually notice a difference to the naked eye?

Generally there is no visual difference between grades of Ideal, Excellent and Very Good in polish and sym. These are merely finish details however and have little relationship to the cut of the diamond as regards performance.

 

[RADIANTMAN]

While most on pricescope will disagree, many feel that good/good is good enough, as long as the other proportion factors are where they belong.

If the various proportion factors were ranked in order of importance from 1 - 10, polish and symmetry better than good would probably rank around 9 and 10 in terms of the naked eye effect on the beauty of the diamond.

 

[JohnQuixote]

Date: 12/2/2005 3:18:51 PM
Author: RADIANTMAN

While most on pricescope will disagree, many feel that good/good is good enough, as long as the other proportion factors are where they belong.

If the various proportion factors were ranked in order of importance from 1 - 10, polish and symmetry better than good would probably rank around 9 and 10 in terms of the naked eye effect on the beauty of the diamond.

Stan has the right of it. The GIA found naked eye experts who could sometimes tell the difference between good and VG symmetry - but at one point were considering G, VG and EX polish/sym to have negligible observable influence between them.

Bob Hoskins, our senior gemologist, likens polish to a paint job on a car. ID/EX can be compared to the finest paint job possible, no inconsistency even with your nose up to the paint. VG and G descend in quality - imagine the paint job more grainy or rough in places. Seen from the sidewalk you won't necessarily notice the difference though.

ETA: If Bob saw this without an edit he'd have my head... Though this is his comparison, he is a craftsmanship fiend and, as something of a diamond snob

, he personally values the top grades in these finish details.

 

[RADIANTMAN]

John - does it make sense to you that a customer who is compromising down to an H or I color, SI stone should insist on VG/VG? Assuming the cut is otherwise fine, isn''t the VG/VG less important from a visual standpoint than the color and clarity?

 

[Gonzodogg]

Date: 11/30/2005 7:32:20 PM
Author:BSHAW
After looking online I realized that a lot of diamonds for sale online have different ratings for Cut then the ratings for polish/symettry but in the store the salespeople were giving me the polish/symmetry ratings to represent the cut of the diamond. So if the diamond is VG/VG for polish and symmetry is it a very good cut? or does this have nothing to do with it. Not sure if it matters but the diamond was princess cut also.

I love this question
All "mall stores" I have ever asked about cut have given me the polish/symmetry answer. They really have no idea what they are talking about.
It''s really sad that just after about a month reading PS, I feel like I know more than most managers at those stores.

 

[Gonzodogg]

Date: 12/2/2005 3:52:28 PM
Author: RADIANTMAN
John - does it make sense to you that a customer who is compromising down to an H or I color, SI stone should insist on VG/VG? Assuming the cut is otherwise fine, isn''t the VG/VG less important from a visual standpoint than the color and clarity?

I am really interested in the answer to this question too beacuse I am considering an H or I stone.