Many people have heard the term diamond cut grade, but few understand what it means for them when they consider buying a new diamond jewelry piece or selling an old one. A diamond cut grade is scored on a five-level quality system, but a diamond of any grade can offer benefits for both buying and selling. A detailed look at the diamond cut grade scale is available below: 

Excellent or Ideal: These diamonds exhibit the highest level of brilliance, a term which describes the way light enters a diamond and is reflected by it. Typically, an excellent or ideal diamond cut grade warrants a high price tag -- but these are also the most beautiful diamonds, so they are worth the return on your investment. 

Very Good: A step below the excellent or ideal diamond cut grade, diamonds that are graded as very good are still high in quality.  However, when you look at these diamonds in a top-down view, tiny imperfections are visible, including light and dark spots.  These are also not quite as brilliant as excellent or ideal diamonds.

Good: The exact middle of the diamond cut grade scale, these diamonds have an average appearance and an average value. They are not particularly brilliant and may have some visible flaws. However, they still look nice, and can be a great option for buyers on a budget, and can still warrant a return on a seller's investment. 

Fair: A diamond cut grade of fair usually indicates that a diamond lacks sparkle. Most of the light that enters the diamond will escape to its sides or its bottom, and this is especially obvious in larger diamonds, even to an untrained eye. A fair diamond with a smaller size, around .75 carats, can still be worth the return on your investment because its imperfections are more difficult to see. 

Poor: Many jewelry stores do not offer diamonds that are graded as poor, because they have little to no sparkle, appear dull, and have visible imperfections even at smaller sizes. While they are very affordable, it is up to the buyer to decide whether a diamond with fewer flaws and more brilliance may be worth the investment. 

When determining value in buying or selling jewelry, diamond cut grade can be hard for an untrained eye to determine. If you think your diamond might be excellent, very good, or good, you may want to have an experienced jeweler evaluate it prior to sale to determine its potential worth. 

If you are interested in selling your diamond jewelry or have questions about diamond cut grade, visit Ralph Mueller & Associates or call 480.949.9229 for more information.