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Has anyone heard of this diamond cut? Called “8X”

I was trying to tell you with my rhetorical question...that it is a grading system...not a particular cut.
It evaluates 8 different attributes of a stone. If they all get an Excellent rating you end up with a stone designated
as 8X. It's not a particular cut... it's a stone that is cut really well. This is my understanding but I have not done a deep dive into it.


Gem Certification & Assurance Lab

www.gcalusa.com www.gcalusa.com
 
tyty333 said:
I was trying to tell you with my rhetorical question...that it is a grading system...not a particular cut.
It evaluates 8 different attributes of a stone. If they all get an Excellent rating you end up with a stone designated
as 8X. It's not a particular cut... it's a stone that is cut really well. This is my understanding but I have not done a deep dive into it.


Gem Certification & Assurance Lab

www.gcalusa.com www.gcalusa.com
Click to expand...
yep but want to clarify that is well cut by gcal standards which may or may not match what others/other systems consider well cut.
 
Karl_K said:
yep but want to clarify that is well cut by gcal standards which may or may not match what others/other systems consider well cut.
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Karl, For what it is worth, GCal has the tightest grading for cut of all of the laboratories. More importantly, in my opinion is that GCal shows all of their work. Every image on the GCal report is an actual image of the diamond receiving the GCal 8X report. You can see the standards here: https://www.gcalusa.com/gcal-8x-cut-grade.html

GCal set the 8X standards for 8X extremely tight so that only the highest quality cut diamonds could receive the grade. Those that do receive it are primarily hand crafted diamonds that are cut at higher expense and loss of weight than the average diamond.

GIA brags about their XXX cut grade. John Pollard has commented on pricescope that something like 70% of all round brilliant cut diamonds on the market qualify for the overly wide XXX cut grade standards. That is simply just ridiculous in my opinion.

You are well aware that the cutting of diamonds rapidly became mostly steep and deep once GIA released their overly loose standards and the public has been receiving diamonds that are marked excellent that by GIA that are as low as AGS 4 and some AGS 5 and a few AGS 6 cut grades. These diamonds are purchased as great by those who do not visit Pricescope, and scoffed at by many of us here who know better.

So I do agree with you that GCal standards do NOT MATCH what GIA would call well cut. GCal standards are incredibly much tighter and to get a GCal 8X report that diamond is going to blow most GIA XXX diamonds out of the water.
 
diamondyes said:
I don’t know. Hopefully someone can tell me!
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Absolutely. That GCal 8X grade is absolutely a "super ideal". It grades 8 factors and shows the work on each factor.

Polish
External symmetry
Proportions
Optical Brilliance
Fire
Scintillation
Optical Symmetry
Hearts and Arrows

Only when all eight of these meet the requirements for excellence in GCal's standards is the 8X report issued.
 
diamondyes said:
I’d love to know if this is a “superideal”?
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Wink Jones is spot on! 8X™ is a premium diamond cut grade that was introduced to the world last year by GCAL (Gem Certification & Assurance Lab). 8X diamonds do not refer to a special cut, rather to superior cut diamonds that were certified 8X by GCAL. As was indicated in this conversation, a huge percentage of diamonds have received an Excellent grade, thus diminishing the real value of the grade. With 8X, GCAL has created a new standard of excellence.
As an aside, like all GCAL certs, GCAL stands behind their 8X grading with a zero tolerance, 100% consumer guarantee. Just saying.....
 
@GCAL Steve Can you explain what you mean by standing behind its 8X grading system with "zero tolerance"? I'm
just not sure what that means...or with respect to what?
 
tyty333 said:
@GCAL Steve Can you explain what you mean by standing behind its 8X grading system with "zero tolerance"? I'm
just not sure what that means...or with respect to what?
Click to expand...

If it is determined the GCAL grades are not accurate, GCAL will reimburse the consumer the difference at retail. Zero tolerance simply means an E is an E, for example. No tolerance is built in to the grading. Hope this helps.
 
This is so interesting. Thanks for the eduction, everyone!
 
GCAL Steve said:
Wink Jones is spot on! 8X™ is a premium diamond cut grade that was introduced to the world last year by GCAL (Gem Certification & Assurance Lab). 8X diamonds do not refer to a special cut, rather to superior cut diamonds that were certified 8X by GCAL. As was indicated in this conversation, a huge percentage of diamonds have received an Excellent grade, thus diminishing the real value of the grade. With 8X, GCAL has created a new standard of excellence.
As an aside, like all GCAL certs, GCAL stands behind their 8X grading with a zero tolerance, 100% consumer guarantee. Just saying.....
Click to expand...

Hi GCAL Steve! Glad you are here to help us consumers understand what this is all about. As a lover of super-ideal cut diamonds, I'm happy you are doing what you are doing.

Out of curiosity, is there a minimum size for which you can have a diamond be GVAL evaluated? (Obviously, cost is a factor in determining for the consumer if it is worth it or not at a smaller size, but I was wondering, technically, if there is a size limit at which GCAL can successfully evaluate a MRB.)

Also, does GCAL offer evaluations of other shapes besides MRBs?

Thanks so much for your time & input.
 
Thanks Runningwithscissors (anxious to hear the story behind your name ). 8X certificates available in all sizes (no melee), but Rounds only for now. However, GCAL does certify all shapes, including a cut grade on all shapes.
 
So, which vendors sell them? :)
 
GCAL Steve said:
There's a list of vendors in lab grown and natural. But any diamond supplier would be happy to cut an 8X diamond for you, provided of course they can cut to 8X quality. Simply request GCAL 8X from your supplier or retailer. Thnx.
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Hi Steve, I have a question....I purchased a diamond that was certified in 2020, before GCAL 8X started. Is it possible to get it re-certified by GCAL to see if it qualifies for an 8X certification?

Thank you
 
I love this forum so much. Such great discussions and never-ending learning.
I first learned about GCAL 8X by merely stumbling upon a diamond that had an 8X cert last year from an online vendor, and happily down that rabbit hole I went.
My wife's next diamond will likely be an 8X, because I've never read any negative testimony from anyone that has laid eyes and hands on one!
 
glitterbomb said:
Hi Steve, I have a question....I purchased a diamond that was certified in 2020, before GCAL 8X started. Is it possible to get it re-certified by GCAL to see if it qualifies for an 8X certification?

Thank you
Click to expand...

So sorry for the delayed response. Tell you what, if you can give me the GCAL cert # on that stone, we'll check it out to potentially confirm whether or not it will be 8X. If we can't make the determination, you are of course welcome to send us the stone. Feel free to call me in the lab in Manhattan.
 
DejaWiz said:
I love this forum so much. Such great discussions and never-ending learning.
I first learned about GCAL 8X by merely stumbling upon a diamond that had an 8X cert last year from an online vendor, and happily down that rabbit hole I went.
My wife's next diamond will likely be an 8X, because I've never read any negative testimony from anyone that has laid eyes and hands on one!
Click to expand...

And btw, you never will. Love to hear that. Thanks a whole lot DejaWiz.
 
GCAL Steve said:
So sorry for the delayed response. Tell you what, if you can give me the GCAL cert # on that stone, we'll check it out to potentially confirm whether or not it will be 8X. If we can't make the determination, you are of course welcome to send us the stone. Feel free to call me in the lab in Manhattan.
Click to expand...

Hi, thank you so much! I really appreciate it!

The GCAL cert # is: 303210060
 
DejaWiz said:
I love this forum so much. Such great discussions and never-ending learning.
I first learned about GCAL 8X by merely stumbling upon a diamond that had an 8X cert last year from an online vendor, and happily down that rabbit hole I went.
My wife's next diamond will likely be an 8X, because I've never read any negative testimony from anyone that has laid eyes and hands on one!
Click to expand...

Hey Dejawiz, would it be LGD gcal 8x? Do you know anyone who sells those? I was looking at rarecarat and they have them. Sorry not meaning to post heist just curious about who carries them.
 
JenniferMarie90 said:
Hey Dejawiz, would it be LGD gcal 8x? Do you know anyone who sells those? I was looking at rarecarat and they have them. Sorry not meaning to post heist just curious about who carries them.
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Hi JM90,
Yes, GCAL 8X is for both EGD and LGD...same grading criteria, regardless.

Check out Adiamor, as they usually list a very fair amount of GCAL graded LGDs. You can pop over to the LGD subforum so that we can help you find whatever you're desiring, if you'd like some extra eyes.
 
DejaWiz said:
Hi JM90,
Yes, GCAL 8X is for both EGD and LGD...same grading criteria, regardless.

Check out Adiamor, as they usually list a very fair amount of GCAL LGDs. You can pop over to the LGD subforum so that we can help you find whatever you're desiring, if you'd like some extra eyes.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Deja!
 
mayaINaU said:
Distinctive Gem also has a few GCAL LGDs.
Click to expand...

Good Morning. Please give me a call in the Manhattan, NY office of GCAL and I'll be happy to provide a list of companies who supply lab grown
mayaINaU said:
Distinctive Gem also has a few GCAL LGDs.
Click to expand...
Yes, And if Distinctive Gem on Long Island doesn't have what you want, they certainly know where to go to get 8X.
 
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