What''s up with diamond''s with more than 57 facets?

[kmklos]

I''m just starting to do some research to upgrade my ring to a 2+ carat RB diamond and went to several stores to try to get some ideas on how good of clarity, cut, color, etc I want. Many of the jewelers only had stones rated "I" in clarity (which I know I don''t want), but several of them had what I would call non-traditional cuts. They showed me stones with 81 and even 145 facets. Is this a new trend? Is this just a way to cover up inclusions in not so great stones?

 

[neatfreak]

Marketing thing...who knows. It''s all about personal preference. IMO, the traditional rounds are still the nicest as long as they are ideally cut. The ones with more facets just have too much going on for me...

 

[strmrdr]

2ct+ is the size range where the over 57 facet cuts can come into there own.
Some are good some a well not.. and very few are great.
Mostly they are a result of DeBeers forcing sightholders to come up with gimmick cuts to try and sell more diamonds under their failed SOC program.
None of them are really original as they have been cut in other gemstones, some for over a hundred years.

 

[milton333]

I have a 100 facet diamond from more than a decade ago, so it''s not a new trend, and I doubt it''s something to hide inclusions, just experimentation with what makes a beautiful diamond. Extra-faceted diamonds seem to come and go, though many of the current brands are very lovely. Comparing my older 100-facet cut with my newer 57 facet diamond, I think fewer facets are more attractive. My 100 facet diamond is very "busy," if that makes sense, with tons and tons of tiny slivers of facets going on inside. The 57 facet stone seems to draw you in more, and has bolder flashes of light and color, while the 100 facet has a lot of prickles or glitter type performance, with dramatically less fire, but an exceedingly high brilliance and white light return. I do think that a larger stone might be more attractive with lots of facets than a smaller one. Definitely something to eyeball for yourself.

 

[marcy]

Most of the ones I''ve looked at in B&M aren''t the best cut stones and the prices are higher for the "extra facets". I would go for an ideal cut stone.