Do you know what is diamond girdle and how it can help you in evaluating diamond quality?
What is Diamond Girdle?
Girdle is the portion of a diamond, dividing the top (crown) and bottom (pavilion) parts of the stone. It is the widest part of the stone and it plays an important role when measuring the proportions of a diamond.
To determine how well the stone is cut, the other parts of the stone are compared with the girdle in terms of size. For example, the height of the crown, the depth of the pavilion and the height of the entire diamond are often expressed as a percentage of the girdle. All these measurements determine how close the cut of the diamond is to the ideal proportions since an ideal-cut diamond has optimal proportions that allow it to maximize its brilliance and sparkle.
Is Girdle Thickness Important?
The thickness of the girdle is one of the most important characteristics.
- Extremely Thin
- Very Thin
- Thin
- Medium
- Slightly Thick
- Thick
- Very Thick
- Extremely Thick
If the girdle is Extremely Thin, it may easily break or chip when setting the diamond in a mounting. And on the contrary, if the diamond’s girdle is Extremely Thick, its additional size will have come at the expense of other parts of the stone and proportions won’t be optimal.
Irregular girdles, meaning some portions of it are thinner while others are much thicker, are also problematic. In this case, the facets immediately above and below the girdle are not well aligned and are disproportional.
What’s the Best Girdle Thickness?
The ideal girdle thickness should be either Thin or Medium. Slightly Thick is also very close to ideal proportions. Such grades as Very Thin and Very Thick are still good gemstone proportions; however, care should be taken while setting the stone.
Remember to avoid girdles that are Extremely Thin, Very Thick or Extremely Thick as it indicates a disproportional cut.
