The girdle of a diamond
We’ll start with the middle part, the
Girdle, as it’s easier to grasp the anatomy of a diamond in this way. The girdle is the outer edge of a diamond. It is that thin middle section that’s sometimes least noticeable on a diamond or gemstone. This part of a diamond is sometimes faceted and sometimes smooth.
The crown of a diamond
Let’s move upwards. The upper portion of a diamond, above the Girdle, is the
Crown. However, the crown is not a uniform section. This part of the diamond consists of four additional components: table, star facets, bezel facets, and upper girdle facets. The Table is the very top part of the diamond which is completely flat. The table runs parallel to the girdle but is in fact not really a part of the crown. The Star facets are right next to the table. They have the important task to direct the light that goes into the diamond. The bezel facets also direct the light. What makes them particularly interesting, is that they’re shaped like kites. Last, but not least, we have the Upper Girdle Facets. As their name suggests, these are next to the girdle. They are also the lowest facets in the crown.
The pavilion of a diamond
The
Pavilion is the part of the diamond below the girdle. This part also has its own subjects. The first subject is the lower girdle facets. These are similar to the upper girdle facets. But they are below the girdle. These facets redirect the light that enters the diamond and send it back to the crown. Complementing them are pavilion facets. They are adjacent to the culet: the final consentient part of a diamond. Or the first one, if you happen to be looking at the diamond upside down. The Pavilion Facets redirect the light back to the crown. This is all completed with the culet, sitting at the bottom of the pavilion.
When discussing the anatomy of a diamonds, you should also take key some measurements into account. Starting with the diamond’s length and width. Both are stated in millimeters, but the number of facets is not the only thing that matters. Their ratio is important as well. The ratio is calculated by dividing the length by the width. A diamond with exactly the same length and width (= either a perfectly square or round diamond) has an L/W ratio of 1. The girle width determines the diamond's class on a special scale from 'extremely thin' to 'extremely with'. The culet is a single point or even a small facet.
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