Let’s Talk about Diamonds

Jack Schatzley has been selling fine, ideal-cut Diamonds since 1959 when he first started in the jewelry business. Some jewelers today like to suggest that the Hearts and Arrows is a new thing. In fact, it is not at all that new. I take in Diamonds on trade for larger Diamonds all of the time. Many times, these are Diamonds I sold when I was at Broer-Freeman Co. downtown in the 1960s and 70s. Most will display the Hearts and Arrows pattern in the special prism.

Aside from the round ideal, there are Diamonds that were cut in India, South Africa, New York City or Israel. All have their own unique characteristics in cutting. It makes little difference where it was cut or by whom. The real value is based on what that Diamond will be worth after it is cut to ideal proportions. In other words, when we appraise/evaluate a Diamond that is not correctly cut, we theoretically re-cut the Diamond to the ideal. Simply put: any deviation from the ideal is a deduction in value.

Sometimes you can find a very well-cut Diamond slightly “out” of the ideal but very attractive and you will save 10 to 20 percent. Once the cutting quality is well out of the range of an ideal, then the savings is greater and the loss in value and sparkle is apparent.

This applies to fancy shapes as well even though the GIA has not yet put an ideal proportion on all of the various fancy shapes. There is a considerable difference in the cutting of fancy shapes.

My daughter Renee (the designer/Gemologist) loves the high color Diamond grades of D-E-F and G. These Diamonds will look whiter, obviously and have coolness to them not found in other Diamonds of I-J-K color grades. However, if the lower colors are ideal cut, the sparkle will mask the body color and appear somewhat whiter face up. This is not so in standard cuts of lower color grades. We offer all grades because we like to give you options.