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Diamond Facets: What Are Facets on a Diamond?

Diamond Facets: What Are Facets on a Diamond?

As you have had the opportunity to encounter different shapes of diamonds, it is important to know that facets are actually the factors that influence them. To get a clear picture of what effects the facets have in diamonds, it is necessary to first go through each of them.

In addition to the shape itself, facets are compatible with the brilliance of diamonds, which, we can all agree, plays an important role. To the question What are facets on a diamond and Why are they important? We would simply say that there are several types of facets and they are: 

  • Mains
  • Table Facet 
  • Star Facets 
  • Pavilion Facet
  • Culet Facet
  • Break facets.

But to understand what they are and what is the difference between them, we recommend that you continue reading. So let’s take a look at what kind of facets there are, and how they affect the quality of a diamond!

What Are Diamond Facets And How Do They Work?

Let’s start from the beginning and answer the question of what diamonds’ facets are? The simplest definition of facets is: “windows into the diamonds” but what does it mean?

On the other hand, a slightly more complex definition would be: Facets are the flat surfaces of a gemstone arranged in a geometrical pattern.

We can also explain this with the definition of light, which plays an important role because it produces a certain brightness. So, the facets are the parts of the diamond that refract light and give it a gleaming appearance.

A diamond’s facets, when cut by a professional, produce stunning visual effects on the gemstone’s surface when the facets interact with light and each other. Diamond edges can be cut by hand or machine, resulting in flat or curved facets.

The Various Parts Of A Gem

There are three main sections you need to consider when describing the surface of a faceted gemstone. They are: 

  • Girdle
  • Crown
  • Pavilion

Maybe you are wondering why gem parts are important at all? It is quite important to understand the gem’s parts so you can have a clear picture of which part of the stone the light is passing through. We have said that the light affects the brightness of the diamond, and is it not the shine of the diamond itself that entices us?

Let’s start with the first one – the girdle.

The girdle is the diamond’s outer edge. The girdle is the largest section of the gem but it is usually quite thin when viewed from the side. In round cut diamonds, the recommended girdle range is Medium – Slightly Thick. 

Now that we are done with the diamond’s outer edge, the next thing that awaits us is something called a crown. The crown of a gem, also known as “the face” of a gem, is the top of the stone.

The crown part of the gem can be explained as the top section of a diamond – measured from the girdle to the table. The ‘table’ is the upper portion of the diamond, placed above the girdle (the diamond’s widest point) and extending below the table. 

Also, the crown of a diamond runs from the top of the stone to the girdle.

The pavilion is the last, but not least relevant, part of the gem. The pavilion is the area underneath the girdle in a diamond. It is the section of the stone that reflects light through the crown toward the observer. 

Also, we can say the pavilion is a faceted gem’s lowest half that is below the girdle and often comes to a point.

What Is the Amount of Facets in a Diamond?

The number 58 is pretty famous in the diamond industry and stands for the gold standard for facets.

Round brilliant diamonds, cushion diamonds, heart diamonds, emerald diamonds, and oval diamonds all contain 58 facets. Of course, some shapes have less than that and delight in lower quality.

As we have just clarified, what is the crown, what is a pavilion, and what is a girdle as parts of gems, let’s see how many facets each of them have.

The crowns have a total of 33 facets, and they are 8 main facets, 8 star facets, 16 upper-middle facets, and 1 table facet.

The pavilion comes right after the crown because they have a smaller number of facets. There are just 24 aspects of the pavilion. There are eight main pavilion facets, sixteen lower-middle facets, and one culet facet.

We’re sure you’re wondering why we haven’t mentioned the girdle part of the gem yet?

Well, the answer is simple – it is because the girdle part of the gem facets is not included in the total facet count. The girdle might be facet or polished smooths, and it can have 32, 64, 80, or even 96 facets.

We will now take a quick look at some of the shapes of diamonds and the number of facets they contain.

Learn More: Which Diamond Cut Has the Greatest Number of Facets?

Types Of Facets On The Diamond

As we mentioned earlier, there are several types of facets that affect the shape but also affect the shine of a diamond. Let’s go through each of them for a better understanding.

The Main Facet

Let’s start with the main diamond facet. The largest facet of a diamond is referred to as the main. The upper main or main facets are found in the diamond’s crown or uppermost part. Lower mains, or main facets, are found in the pavilion of a diamond.

The Table Facet

The table facet is the horizontal facet that is located on the top of a diamond. It allows a good glimpse into the interior of a diamond. Table facets provide a clear picture of a diamond’s intrinsic features.

The Star Facet

Along the perimeter of the crown, the star facets adjoin the diamond’s table facet. The diamond’s star facets make an extremely brilliant appearance, and this facet gives the impression that the diamond is playing tricks on your eyes.

The Pavilion Facet

The pavilion is the area below the crown in a diamond. The pavilion is the section of the stone that reflects light through the crown toward the observer.

Otherwise, here’s how we’d describe it more simply: The pavilion’s facets are found on the bottom of a diamond. These facets are precisely constructed to reflect and diffuse light from within.

The Culet Facet

Simply put – the culet is the diamond’s bottom sharp. So, they are the facets located at the pavilion’s bottom. A diamond can have either a sharp culet (called a “no” culet through most grading reports) or a flat surface that adds another feature to the diamond.

The Break Facet

We reached the last but not the least important facet – the brake facet.

Break facets are light facets that disperse light and allow the sparkle to catch an eye. They are located adjacent to the girdle on either side of a diamond and are known for reflecting light.  

The girdle facets are the ones that connect the girdles on the sides of a diamond.

More Facets Equal Better Diamonds? Truth Or Myth

As we have mentioned several times throughout this article, facets are associated with light, which ensures shining of the diamond.

When it comes to diamond design, cut experts concur that the correct proportion and symmetry of the facets, rather than the number of facets, determine the diamond’s fire, brilliance, and light scattering.

Having more facets is generally thought to be a good thing.

Finally, truth to be told, more facets equals more sparkle. Diamond cutters devote so much time to delicate details because if the cut is done precisely, it will give more sparkle, which means greater value to the diamond.

So, small characteristics in a diamond, such as its cut, have a huge impact on its value, and that is what distinguishes a diamond from others.

Diamond With Most Facets

The radiant diamond has the most facets of any diamond form – 70 facets. The radiant is a round brilliant cut diamond in the size of an emerald cut diamond. Radiant diamonds are the perfect combination of elegant touch and brilliant celebration.

The brilliant-cut diamonds are constructed with the greatest facets to provide more brightness.

As you have already had the opportunity to read through this article, in addition to round cut diamonds, diamonds with the most facets are princess cut, Ashoka cut, brilliant-cut, and pear cut.

Right after the radiant cut diamond, in second place, we have a Princess-cut diamond with 58 to 144 facets. Ashoka Cut Diamond can have up to 62 facets.

Pear-cut, along with brilliant-cut diamonds, have 58 facets.

The Diamond Prices Based On Their Facets

We can all agree that purchasing a diamond might be challenging. Nothing appears to make sense on the surface, especially if you don’t know and understand the rule of the four C’s. Let’s start with that!

Cut, carat, clarity, and color are the four C’s that are often associated with diamonds. They are also something to which you should pay special attention.

It’s important to understand that the cut itself can give the diamonds great value. For example, if the diamond experts do fine cuts it can provide a more shining diamond.

Along with the cut, carats play a very significant role. More carats – better diamonds. When it comes to a diamond’s price, there are two main considerations: finding the best value retailer and focusing on which specific diamond would give you the most money’s worth.

So let’s see how prices are, depending on the facts.

  • Round-Cut Diamond’s starting price is $1,749 with 0.5 carats and ends at $26,683 with 2 carats.
  • Princess-Cut Diamond starts at $1,284 with 0.5 ct and with 2 Ct price is $20,450.
  • Pear-cut diamonds can be found in the price range between $7,000 and $40,000 for a 2ct.
  • Ashoka-cut, depending on the size, begins at $3,000 and can go up to $21,5000 for 1ct.
  • Last, the brilliant cut that weighs one carat costs between $2,500 and $18,000 and with 2 ct it can go as high as $58,000.

Final Thoughts

Even though we have provided you with as much information as possible on diamonds, their cut, appearance, and a variety of other aspects in this article, we believe we have been successful in answering the original question: What Are Facets On A Diamond And Why Are They Important?

We have tried not only to dryly list the faces that we distinguish, such as the main, the table, the star, the pavilion, the break, and the culet facets but to go through each of them.

Also, to make it easier for you to determine the value of the diamond you are interested in, we have gone through the different types of cuts as well as the prices that range for certain cuts.

Finally, we will remind you once again of the different parts of a game that we have singled out, and they are: Girdle, Crown, and Pavilion.

We hope that you have found the answers to all of your questions in this article, as well as some more information that will undoubtedly be useful to you.