The 6Cs of Sapphires by Brilliyond - C3.Cut

The 4Cs of a diamond is an industry-accepted practise to grade, classify, and describe diamonds. Apart from these four properties, many other factors are considered when determining the quality of sapphires. Incorporating the two major factors which are heavily used in the sapphire trade, Brilliyond introduced the 6Cs of Sapphires for the first time in the industry. The third C is the Cut of the Sapphire.

Unlike diamonds, sapphires do not come with standard cuts as well as there are no "ideal" cuts for sapphires, as each individual sapphire crystal must be custom cut to help the finished gemstone display the best colour and brilliance. However, a sapphire's cut plays an essential role in determining its value and appeal. With precise and skilled cutting, one can unravel the mesmerising brilliance and beautiful colour of the gemstone, bringing out the unique personality and charm of a sapphire.

Most of the time, a custom cut is done to retain the sapphire properties at their best. For example, sapphires exhibiting a lighter tone of colour will be cut deeper to add dimension and intensity to the colour while a sapphire of very dark colour will likely be cut shallower to allow additional light to reflect within the gemstone that will soften and brighten the sapphire’s colour.

The ideal cut for a diamond is the brilliant cut, and the size of various measurements should be proportional. Thus, you get the ideal brilliance from the diamond. Sapphires do not have a specific cut. Most jewellers use the term ‘sapphire cut’ or ‘mixed cut’ when specifying the cut of a sapphire gemstone. This is because the proportions for each individual sapphire is determined by a gem cutting professional in a way that it maximizes the beauty and appearance of the gemstone. Depending on the other properties of the gemstone even a shallow cut or a deep cut could be used. Unlike in diamonds, this makes the diameter to weight ratio change from stone to stone. Whereas a 5mm round diamond should weight half a carat, a 5mm round sapphires can be found in a range of weight.