Hi All,
It's a common question"Why don't fancy Yellow diamonds come in round?"


There's alot of good reasons...but today we'll discuss those, and show you TWO intense yellow rounds over 1.00 that BREAK the rule!

Fancy Intense Yellow/I1
GIA Color Origin Report
7.92-7.98 x 4.65
That equates to a depth ratio of 58.7%
the GIA color origin report does not include table measurements.  I estimate the table of the stone to be about 65%.
The results of this depth and table combination is pretty obvious in these pictures.  You can see a ring defining the outside edges of the table.
When we say "table" we're talking about the largest facet on the diamond.  The flat one on top.

The reasons why a cutter would cut the diamond to these proportions go to the subject of this thread.  Why don't you see intense yellow diamonds in round shape?

The 1.92 is a "worked out" stone. What this means, is that the cutter needed to make compromises on the existing rough to come out with a salable diamond.
In an ideal circumstance, the cutter has the room to waste enough of the rough to make a stone of ideal proportions... a well cut diamond.

A large part of the decision-making process of the diamond Cutter involves the financial questions and answers.  Computers are used to analyze the rough on a 3D visualization screen.
The decision needs to be made whether to make a larger radiant for a smaller round diamond possibly.

Generally speaking, radiant cuts, and cushions will allow the cutter to get a better yield from the rough diamond.... many of which are octahedron shape.
If you can visualize this, the cutter needs to shave off the corners to make a round diamond.  A radiant or cushion cut would allow him not to do this.
Again, speaking in generalizations, round is the most expensive of the cuts.  This is the reason why.

The other aspect which is very important to a cutter specializing in fancy colored diamonds, is out to get the most color out of the rough diamond.
Here, round is the poorest performer, as compared to pear shaped cushion oval or radiant.

The reasons here have to do with the design of a round brilliant cut.  A round brilliant is designed to make a diamond look as white (or colorless ) as possible.

Radiant cuts and cushions on the other hand, allow the cutter to focus the light over a longer distance within the diamond to multiply the color.

Very cool stuff.  David, thank you for the opportunity to see these amazing up-close photos.

Hahahahha! That's because we knew BETTER than to ask! 

Interesting post David. I doubt I`ll be ordering a matching pair for earrings but they`re stunning for sure !
Lynne

Great....I'm heading out the door to a meeting and now I'll be daydreaming about these rounds the entire time.  Looking forward to seeing the pic of #2 when I return.

Hmmm...so I guess I am not getting earrings made any time soon. 

David - is that a faceted culet (I don't know how else to call it!) or just a strange play of light on the bottom of the diamond? If the former, is there a reason for this? I'd have thought a pointed culet without any further cutting would maximise light path length and therefore colour; what am I missing?

Oh, BTW - is this the new discount forum members get? The 1.06 is currently on the website at $1,000,000. 

I guess I'd better correct that price! D, you listed it at one million.

who, me?

Hummm, I never knew that about dulling the culet.  David, thanks for the info.

OMG!   HAAAAALLLLLLOOOOOOO! Halo, halo, halo. Go for the halo. The halo would be perfect for that stone. Halo. HAAAAALLLLLOOOOO!

I quite like the first setting...
Jen