Last week, we got an emerald cut in for a client. Although I’m not a huge fan of emerald cuts, as they’re not as bright as brilliant cuts, this one looked nice due to it’s excellent symmetry and seemingly good light return.
Amongst the myriad of light performance tools and software, one of the least talked about is the AGS Performance Grading Software (PGS), which allows an AGS cut grade to be assigned to any round, princess or emerald (square or rectangular) cut diamond, without the need an AGS certificate!
Now that our free engagement ring offer is over, and our workshop bursting at the seams with rings to make, it seems that most people are opting for a few designs - despite us having over forty, complete with multiple views and videos.
The OGI Firetrace software is software that predicts the light performance of a diamond using its proportions. Whilst this method isn’t new (DiamCalc, AGS), both OGI and Sarin have “consumer-friendly” (and “dealer-friendly” 
) versions hat show brightness (white light), dispersion (coloured light) and scintillation (play of light on the surface of the diamond).
Recently, we brought in two D colour Asscher cut diamonds for a couple of clients.
Out of the most respected labs in the world, no lab apart from the AGS gives princess cuts a cut grade. Therefore, for the most part, consumers usually are left in the dark about the true cut grade of princess cuts. Whilst some dealers may go merely by table and depth percentages, and others by crown height, these numbers alone aren’t the best indicators of a superior princess cut.
In Ideal-Scope images of round brilliant cut diamonds, it’s common to see 8 black arrows amongst a sea of red.
Yesterday, news broke that an 8000+ carat gemstone was found by a South African property developer.
When most people compare GIA to AGS certificates, they immediately think about the grading - that is, the differences in how they grade colour, clarity and cut.
The recently patented Holloway Cut Adviser (HCA) is an online tool that helps consumers determines the cut of a diamond. It is simple and free, but not without it’s flaws.
