CUSTOM-CUT GEMS: What is the difference?
When we talk about jewelry, gemstones will never be out of place. Gemstones are beautiful pieces of nature that come from the earth so it would be fascinating to have custom-cut gems.
Wouldn’t it be fascinating if gems come out of the ground ready to wear? Well, typically, that kind of scenario just doesn't happen. Rough crystals go through a process called a lapidary or simply gemstone cutting, where these crystals were turned into a dazzling piece of gemstone one will surely fall in love with. Today, gemstone allows you to state uniqueness by having exceptional pieces of jewelry that truly reflect your way of life and individuality.
Why do people prefer custom-cut gemstones?
Nowadays, most custom-cut gems were already cut overseas in a particular way. It is because that is a popular size that fits most kinds of jewelry. The gems were cut beforehand to maximize their value and to focus more on the speed and quantity of the production. However, this process overlooked the quality of the cut produced.
Cut quality plays a crucial role in determining a gem’s value. Gemologists use the 4 C’s to grade gem cuts. These are color, clarity, carat weight, and cut.
Color
Gemologists usually refer to hue, saturation, and tone when they describe gem color. The hues of gems refer to the basic colors that we see. These can be red, blue, yellow, orange, green, violet, and purple. Meanwhile, brown, black, and white refer to tone and saturation. Gem’s tone refers to lightness or darkness and saturation is the intensity of hues. Pink is like a desaturated red. The highest values go to the ones with strong rich colors and pure hues.
Carat Weight
Carat is a weight that is equivalent to one-fifth of a gram. Originally gems were weighed in handheld balance scales with two pans. The gems were in one pan and carob beans were used on the other side. The word carat was derived from “carob”. Today we use electronic digital scales to weigh gemstones. Carat weights should be given on a gemstone to the one-hundredth of a carat.
Cut
One part of the overall grade that it receives is the cutting grade of the gemstone. It includes the gemstone’s brilliance and depth. It also includes the quality and precision of the gem’s cut. Whereas cut grades are - (A) Excellent, (B) Very Good, (C) Good, D (Fair), (E) Acceptable and lower than acceptable. Only custom-cut gems receive Excellent cut grades.
A commercial cut gem has a large window that lacks a solid polish. It also has facet lines that do not meet properly. We call these 'meet points'. The gemstone industry has allowed poor meet points for decades. Unfortunately, those areas are crucial to the brilliance and durability of the gemstone. When a gemstone cutter takes the time to cut the gemstone to maximize its inner fire and beauty. The gem should radiate and glow. The facets made and combined can make a big difference in color, brilliance, and carat weight.
Certified custom-cut gems process takes time and effort that is why these gems demand a premium price. Though we use the word “quality” in describing the properties of a gem, it doesn’t mean that one gem is better than the other. You will tend to buy the gem that suits your personality and the color of the outfit or clothes that you want to coordinate with it. When a gem receives a high-grade value, it only means that it has rare features within it.
When going to your favorite jewelry shop in Dallas, you may have already decided on the perfect shape that you want your stone to be. Here in Bova Diamonds you can meet our sales team and explore our collections. We do welcome your ideas on the custom design that you want.