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

[DejaWiz]

Distinctive Gem also has a few GCAL LGDs.

Good call! Jon at DG and David at DbL would be able to find anything with a GCAL cert!

 

[glitterbomb]

Good Mornin' GlitterBomb.
Feel free to email Angelo, one of the GCAL owners. I gave him the cert #. He'll be happy to answer all your questions - [email protected]

Thank you so much, I sent him an email just now

 

[glitterbomb]

So the official answer is it would not qualify for 8X because of two things: the optical symmetry is a bit off, where the arrow body and arrow head do not quite meet up in four areas and the heart at 6 o’clock is of different size than the balance of the hearts.

It is very interesting, especially because this diamond is actually my favorite out of all of my MRB diamonds.

I have:
6.02 ctw IGI E / VS1 studs
5.01 ct IGI D / VVS2
4.75 ctw WF ACA G / VS2 studs
4.05 ct GCAL E / VVS2
3.69 ct GCAL 8X D / VVS1

I swear out of all of the above diamonds the 4.05 has the most fire and brilliance, even including the ACAs! So it is interesting it just misses the mark to be a super ideal / 8X diamond. It must be due to the specific angles and proportions, I'm guessing?

 

[DejaWiz]

@glitterbomb it seems to be because of very slight symmetry anomalies...which truly is a testament to just how strict the criteria is for a diamond to meet GCAL 8X requirements - if your diamond, which noticably outperforms all of your others (including the custom cut ACAs), is still not quite within 8X parameters, well then I think that says all we need to know about the sheer amount of attention to detail that GCAL imparts when determining if a diamond qualifies for and earns their coveted 8X cert.

 

[GCAL Steve]

So the official answer is it would not qualify for 8X because of two things: the optical symmetry is a bit off, where the arrow body and arrow head do not quite meet up in four areas and the heart at 6 o’clock is of different size than the balance of the hearts.

It is very interesting, especially because this diamond is actually my favorite out of all of my MRB diamonds.

I have:
6.02 ctw IGI E / VS1 studs
5.01 ct IGI D / VVS2
4.75 ctw WF ACA G / VS2 studs
4.05 ct GCAL E / VVS2
3.69 ct GCAL 8X D / VVS1

I swear out of all of the above diamonds the 4.05 has the most fire and brilliance, even including the ACAs! So it is interesting it just misses the mark to be a super ideal / 8X diamond. It must be due to the specific angles and proportions, I'm guessing?

To glitterbomb: Please let me reiterate the fact that your diamond just misses the strict parameters of an 8X in no way diminishes the extraordinary beauty of your stone. Do not love it any less. Enjoy it!

To DejaWiz: Thanks so much. Your comments are very much appreciated. And who am I to argue

 

[Karl_K]

@GCAL Steve
When will the standards be open:
For example what are the h&a standards?
There are labs calling diamonds h&a that we would never consider h&a.
Whats the science and parameters behind the soup bowl test?
White dome with leakage in blue.
Which images are actual images and which are computer generated?
What are the fire and scintillation standards and how are they measured or calculated? Which lighting is used as lighting plays a huge factor in both.
I could go one.
I think GCAL has a lot going for it and 8x is a good move but as in the past it is to closed for me to support it at this time.

 

[Texas Leaguer]

Hello @GCAL Steve ,
Welcome to the forum! It's great to have another voice for precision cut diamonds here.

I am curious about the grading guarantee. Does this pertain to color and clarity grading as well? Most people in the trade agree that there can be a one grade variance between the top labs since each grade is a small range on a continuum, and since ultimately color and clarity calls are judgments of human graders.

How does GCAL determine whose grade is 'accurate' in cases of discrepancies?

 

[DejaWiz]

Hello @GCAL Steve ,
Welcome to the forum! It's great to have another voice for precision cut diamonds here.

I am curious about the grading guarantee. Does this pertain to color and clarity grading as well? Most people in the trade agree that there can be a one grade variance between the top labs since each grade is a small range on a continuum, and since ultimately color and clarity calls are judgments of human graders.

How does GCAL determine whose grade is 'accurate' in cases of discrepancies?

While we wait for GCAL Steve to give an official response on behalf of GCAL (if he is permitted to), I did find this diamond grading page on their site...not sure now much that helps you, Texas Leaguer:

Gem Certification & Assurance Lab

www.gcalusa.com

Here's a blurb from another page on their website:

Gem Certification & Assurance Lab

www.gcalusa.com

Clarity grading is a subjective scientific procedure that depends on the skill and experience of the grader and reasonable variances are possible, but every effort is made to eliminate bias. GCAL utilizes consensus grading methodology and an exceptional quality control procedure to assure the most accurate, objective and consistent grading possible. Before GCAL gives a diamond its quality grades, each stone is individually examined by two experts and verified by a third senior expert. Every diamond is weighed, measured, examined, tested and photographed several times before a certificate is issued.

 

[Texas Leaguer]

While we wait for GCAL Steve to give an official response on behalf of GCAL (if he is permitted to), I did find this diamond grading page on their site...not sure now much that helps you, Texas Leaguer:

Gem Certification & Assurance Lab

www.gcalusa.com

Here's a blurb from another page on their website:

Good info @DejaWiz . I also answered part of my own question on their guarantee page. It does in fact apply to color and clarity. So I am curious to understand their process of determining who is 'right' when there is a disparity with another lab, which is quite common. Do they use GIA graded masters for color grading like AGS does? Also curious if the guarantee applies to aspects such as fluorescence, which is also reported in different ways by the labs.

 

[breakfacets]

This was a neat thread, thanks for starting it !
So one of the 8 criteria is "Hearts and Arrows" which is a type of brilliant cut: does that mean something like an old mine cut cannot be 8x?

 

[DejaWiz]

This was a neat thread, thanks for starting it !
So one of the 8 criteria is "Hearts and Arrows" which is a type of brilliant cut: does that mean something like an old mine cut cannot be 8x?

I believe your notion is correct, since GCAL specifically (and only) mentions MRB/RBC and not anything else, such as OEB, OMB, etc:

Gem Certification & Assurance Lab

www.gcalusa.com