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The following terms describe different parts of a diamond, and how diamonds are measured.
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Girdle:
The Girdle of a diamond is the "shelf" where the crown and pavilion of a diamond meet. The girdle is the widest part of the diamond, which is where the width of the
diamond is calculated. Because the girdle goes all the way around the diamond, it can range in thickness around the stone. The most common terms used to
describe the girdle are any combination of the following:
- Extremely Thin
- Very Thin
- Thin
- Slightly Thin
- Medium
- Slightly Thick
- Thick
- Very Thick
- Extremely Thick
Girdles can also be polished, faceted, or standard. The most common girdle on a round brilliant diamond today is a faceted girdle, where the diamond
cutter has faceted the girdle for more brilliance.
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Culet:
The facet or point at the bottom of a diamond is called the diamond's culet. Due to the fact that medium or large culets can affect the light performance
of a diamond, the preferred culet grades are between none and small, which are generally undetectable to the naked eye. The culet also serves a purpose
to add security against chipping or cleaving (splintering).
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Dimensions:
The dimensions of a diamond simply refer to the size of the stone's length, width, and depth. On a round stone, several diameter measurements are taken, and the largest
and smallest measurements are averaged to give the actual diameter. When looking at the dimensions of a round diamond, the first and second numbers usually refer to those largest and smallest measurements.
On other shapes, the length and width are taken in different locations on the girdle dependant on the shape of the stone. Depth is the third number, and represents the overall height
of the stone from the table to the culet.
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Crown:
The crown of a diamond is the top section consisting of the parts above the girdle.
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Pavilion:
The pavilion of a diamond is the lower section consisting of the parts below the girdle.
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Depth Percentage:
The ratio of the pavilion depth to the total depth of a diamond is called the depth percentage.
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Table:
A diamond's table is the flat facet on the upper most part of the stone. It is also the largest facet of the stone and has a very large influence on the brilliance and sparkle of the diamond.
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Table Percentage:
The table percentage of a diamond is the ratio of the table width to the total width of the diamond.
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