Daniel Grunberger

If you’ve ever pondered the question, “how are diamonds cut,” this guide will fill you in on some valuable information regarding the process, and why a diamond’s cut is perhaps the most important of the 4 Cs used to determine its grade. 

It’s well known that diamonds are among the hardest substances on earth. That’s why it takes diamonds to cut other diamonds–the tools that we use to shape these raw stones into jewels are often either diamond-bladed or feature an edge of diamond dust. 

The signature shapes of diamonds that we see in jewelry are not found naturally. Achieving the finished shape of the stones involves a rigorous process that even gem enthusiasts may not know in its entirety. From big diamonds to small ones, here’s a brief look into how diamonds are cut, and what that means for the quality of the stone.

Types of Large Diamond Cuts

There are two primary types of cuts for a large diamond: step cut and brilliant cut. Before a master cutter makes any alterations to a rough stone, they must evaluate its inclusions, or flaws, to determine what cut will be better, and if brilliance can be achieved. A cutter will also use carat weight to determine this outcome. 

The standard pattern we’ve come to correlate with diamonds is an octahedron shape, meaning it has eight faces, twelve edges, and six vertices. This shape is perfect for brilliant cuts because it doesn’t lose a lot of carat weight in the cutting process, and exquisitely refracts light bouncing off the stone. On the contrary, a step cut is typically utilized to create a rectangle or square shape with parallel lines running on the length and width of the diamond. This tends to draw the eye to the center of the stone, which in turn makes the diamond look like it has “steps,” giving it its name.

How Are Small Diamonds Cut?

So how are small diamonds cut, and how does the process differ from larger stones? Perhaps the best place to begin is by answering that question with another question: “what are small diamonds called?” And that answer would be the unsung heroes of the jewelry world, melee diamonds.

Compared to larger stones that often act as the main centerpiece for rings and other jewelry items, melee diamonds are significantly smaller in size. In fact, their size ranges from as large as 0.2 carat to as small as 0.001 carat. It’s almost mind-boggling to consider how these tiny diamonds can be cut to perfection, but technology has made the once laborious process much easier to achieve. 

Still, achieving feats like the Hearts and Arrows diamond, one of the most sought after cuts in the jewelry world, requires extreme precision done by only the most renowned cutters. These cuts make up less than 1% of the ideal cut diamonds in the world, and for good reason. We’ll get more into those shortly.

The two standard methods for cutting small melee diamonds include:

• Full Cut – A full, brilliant-cut diamond features 57 or 58 facets, and is designed to maximize the interaction of light within a stone, ensuring it displays as much brilliance and fire as possible. These stones can be used for engagement rings, necklaces, earrings, and other items where multiple melee diamonds can be placed together to achieve an elegant shine.
• Single Cut – These diamonds have 17 or 18 facets, and still display a pronounced shine, but much less of a fiery effect. They are quite popular in the production of watches, but have lost appeal in other aspects of the jewelry industry.

What Are Hearts and Arrows Diamonds?

A Hearts and Arrows diamond is a precision-cut round diamond that, like the name suggests, showcases eight arrows in the face-up view, and eight small hearts in the pavilion view. Often referred to as having a super-ideal cut of a traditional 57 faceted round brilliant cut diamond, these stones boast optimal symmetry, which maximizes the light handling potential of the facet arrangement. 

Since a diamond can be thought of as a collection of mirrors, the Hearts and Arrows design is optimized for light performance when bouncing between facets. In turn, their brilliance and fire is unparalleled to other cuts, and they remain one of the most desirable gems in the industry.

Grunberger Diamonds

As one of the world’s premier producers of melee diamonds, Grunberger Diamonds has brought four generations of passion, precision, and experience to the industry. We understand that perfection is key when it comes to fine jewelry–that’s why our company checks every single stone before shipping them out to ensure that they meet our strict Hearts and Arrows pattern guidelines. We cut our diamonds in Vietnam and maintain strict consistency among the stones we provide, making it easier for jewelers to craft stunning pieces. 
Learn more about what makes our diamonds so unique, or contact us today for any questions regarding our products or services.

When it comes to using melee diamonds, value is, of course, in the eye of the beholder. However, there are also very tangible ways that these small stones can increase the value and appearance of diamond jewelry and make custom pieces more profitable for jewelers. And to understand why this is, you have to understand the true worth of melee diamonds and the advantages they provide for jewelry business owners and their customers.

Melee Diamonds Meaning

A melee diamond is a small diamond that weighs in at 0.20 carats or less. But what these small stones lack in size they more than make up for in beauty. High-quality melee diamonds are cut with just as much precision as larger diamonds. They can be sourced in a wide variety of shapes, clarities, and colors to expertly enhance any custom piece. For example, with 40 distinct clarity and color combinations, Grunberger Diamonds offers jewelers unbeatable variations at affordable price points to fit their budgets. Not only that, but these melee diamonds boast expert precision and superior quality.

Value of Small Diamonds for Jewelry Businesses

The use of melee diamonds can make or break the overall appearance of the jewelry. That’s because melee diamonds’ worth goes far beyond simply adding a bit of additional sparkle.

Some of the highest value drivers of melee diamonds include:

• Versatility – Because of the available variations in melee diamond cuts, customers are able to use them to enhance any piece of jewelry. This provides the customer with more options and the jeweler with more opportunities for adding additional diamonds to pieces and getting more value out of the order.
• Complementary appearance. Melee diamonds serve to complement and showcase larger stones, which can turn a simple design into a true showstopper. Adding these smaller stones is one of the best ways to increase the real and perceived value of jewelry and is an easy upsell when someone is investing in a one-of-a-kind piece.
• Affordability – The smaller size of melee diamonds may make them a more affordable option for customers who are interested in a custom jewelry diamond for an engagement ring or other piece but do not necessarily have the budget for a larger stone. For jewelers, this means more people coming in the door and the ability to sell to a broader range of customers.
• Overhead accommodations – Running a jewelry business is not cheap, especially considering the thin markups on most custom pieces. Melee diamonds allow jewelers to create more stunning, more cost-effective jewelry without additional cost on the back-end. This means less overhead costs and more profit.

All jewelers want to be able to provide the maximum amount of value to their customers. Melee diamonds allow you to do just that, all without the need for exorbitant upfront costs or significantly more complicated or time-intensive designs. And considering how beautiful these small but impactful stones can be, there is really no reason not to use melee diamonds to enhance the pieces you create and provide your customers with all of the sparkle they expect when they invest in a custom diamond piece.

Keep in mind that prices and quality for melee diamonds can vary widely. This makes it important to work with a supplier that understands the importance of quality cuts and can provide melee diamonds that don’t just improve the look of custom pieces but that will also stand out in their own right. 

As a leading diamond manufacturer and supplier, Grunberger Diamonds is here to provide you with the ultimate in melee diamond quality and precision so that you can boost customer satisfaction and increase the value of your creations. Visit our service page to get started and open an account, or contact us directly to learn more about our melee diamonds and how they bring additional value to your business. You can also quickly request a quote online.

Melee diamonds are among the most precious gems in the industry, but due to their cut, size, details, and scaling price points, it can be challenging to know what’s best for you. This melee diamonds guide will cover every aspect of these gems such as sizing, cuts, and quality factors, ensuring you know exactly what to expect and evaluate when exploring jewelry options.  

Melee Diamonds Definition

So what is a melee diamond, and why are they surging within the industry? The melee diamonds definition refers to diamonds that are less than 0.2 carats in size. Used mainly for detailing purposes, melee diamonds are best and most typically used in these settings: pavé, halo, and side stone. Melee diamonds come in 2 types of cut: single and full.

Single Cut Melee Diamonds

This cut refers to vintage round diamonds, as there are 17 single-cut diamond facets. These cuts tend to flash and draw attention with larger faces that catch and reflect light for an elegant shine, and showcase less of a glittering or fiery effect. While single-cut melee diamonds are rarely used in modern times due to the rising popularity and ease of crafting full-cut melee diamonds, they are still in use within the watch industry.

Full Cut Melee Diamonds

As opposed to single cut, full cut melee diamonds have 57-58 facets, which means they share similarities with the standard brilliant round cut. Due to the number of facets, full-cut melee diamonds are able to catch and reflect light at a higher number of angles while moving. These unique angles all reflect the light a little bit differently, leading to a captivating and fiery display. Boasting radiant reflections of light and color, this cut is favored by most jewelry crafters

Ideal Cut “Hearts and Arrows” Diamonds 

With the ability to bring out the best a diamond has to offer, ideal cut diamond proportions expertly crafted in the Hearts and Arrows design are among the most unique and desirable diamonds in the world. Hearts and Arrows melee diamonds account for less than 1% of the world’s ideal cut diamonds and are meticulously crafted to display a collection of miniature mirrors, bouncing light internally within the diamond and out to the eye. This display then showcases a pattern of eight perfect hearts and arrows within the cut and has the effect of making the diamond appear larger and more appealing than those of comparable sizes. Since crafting Hearts and Arrows diamonds is such an extensive and difficult process, most suppliers of this cut are among the most reputable and knowledgeable in the entire industry.

Grunberger Diamonds: Expert Clarity and Color Melee Diamond Combinations at Affordable Prices

Grunberger Diamonds is the world’s largest producer of ideal cut melee diamonds, with a collection boasting exquisite features and unique combinations. Featuring our perfect Hearts and Arrows, including specialized sizes 0.60 MM to 4.29MM, we are the melee diamonds supplier jewelers trust most. In addition, we carry over 40 different color/clarity combinations that give jewelers plenty of options when it comes to price points. In other words, as clarity and color often dictate price points, our wide collection helps esure more options and thus more affordable prices as compared to other melee diamond suppliers. 

With more than 75 years of excellence passed down through four generations of Belgian cutters, Grunberger Diamonds maintains its place amongst the world’s most renowned diamond suppliers. Moreover, Grunberger Diamonds is consistently proud to uphold a level of quality, excellence, and precision in the production and distribution of diamonds that remains rare to this day. 
For more information regarding our Precision cut diamonds, full-cut melee diamonds, and other high-quality stones, contact us today!

The significance of diamond certification in the world of gemology is steadfast, but many first-time buyers or novice gem enthusiasts may be unfamiliar with the ins and outs of the process. Since the delicate nature of buying a quality diamond means knowing everything there is to know, here’s a guide to teach you all about the diamond certification process, and why getting your diamond certified should be a priority.

What is Diamond Certification?

These diamonds, once known as hearts and cupids diamonds, originated in Japan. And, it is gemologist Kazumi Okuda who we have to thank for allowing us to see the hearts and diamonds pattern up close. In the 1970s, Okuda invented a tool called a Firescope, which uses colored reflectors to expertly highlight distinctions in the facet and light patterns of a hearts and arrows diamond.

Some other reasons why diamond certification is so important include:

• Increases the overall value of a diamond. Certified loose diamonds are far more valuable than non-certified, which can help buyers when it comes to insurance and practical matters.
• Offers reliable evidence, and brings logic and rationale, when making a purchase decision. With a diamond certificate, you can avoid influence by a sales representative and make a sound decision based on facts.
• Makes comparing diamonds significantly easier. If you’re familiar with what aspects of a diamond are important to you, then you can compare grading reports of those in a similar vein and get a clear cut list of differences/similarities.

What Information is Provided From Diamond Certification?

The primary role of a diamond certificate is to detail the key attributes of a loose diamond, as well as to grade the four C’s: carats, clarity, color and cut grade. An expert gemologist will do an in-depth analysis using a microscope at 30-40x magnification, while alluding back to a diamond certification chart to make their grade. While diamond pricing is most often reliant on these factors, a certificate does not give monetary value to a diamond. Even when the market fluctuates, and values rise or fall, a grading report will remain the same.

How to Get a Diamond Certified

When you purchase a high-quality diamond from a reputable dealer like Grunberger Diamond, you can feel confident that your stone has been put through the M+SCREEN process. The M+SCREEN is a lab-grown diamond testing machine specifically designed for melee diamonds, which detects Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) Diamonds and High-Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) diamonds using short wave UV light technology. The M-Screen+ screens and sorts round, brilliant diamonds, and then automatically singles out stones that may be synthetic.

Certified Loose Diamonds For Sale

With more than 75 years of excellence that has been passed down through three generations of Belgian cutters, Grunberger Diamonds has been able to maintain stellar consistency in our ideal cut melee diamonds. Decades of high company values and meticulous detail is what makes us one of the most prestigious loose diamond dealers in the world. We are proud to offer this type of top-tier service to our customer base of retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers, designers, and jewelers across the globe.

To request a quote, or for any general questions or comments, contact Grunberger Diamonds today.

Many people are familiar with hearts and arrows diamonds, but they might not know why these types of diamonds are so revered, or what makes them such a smart choice when purchasing diamond jewelry.

A popular style known for showcasing 3D optical precision, the hearts and arrows diamond represents superior craftsmanship and quality. But, there are many who may be unaware of why this particular cut is so lauded. Below, we’ll discuss what you should know about hearts and arrows diamonds, including what the term means and the various benefits this diamond can provide.

What Does Hearts and Arrows Mean in a Diamond?

A hearts and arrows cut features a round diamond with a facet pattern, including eight hearts (visible from the down-facing view) and eight arrows (visible from the table-up view). 

These diamonds, once known as hearts and cupids diamonds, originated in Japan. And, it is gemologist Kazumi Okuda who we have to thank for allowing us to see the hearts and diamonds pattern up close. In the 1970s, Okuda invented a tool called a Firescope, which uses colored reflectors to expertly highlight distinctions in the facet and light patterns of a hearts and arrows diamond.

Notably, it is a common misconception in the jewelry industry that if a diamond has hearts and arrows it is ideal cut. While many of these particular diamonds are ideal cut—including all of the diamonds that we sell—it is not always a given. To help our buyers showcase the brilliance of ideal cut hearts and arrows diamonds, we supply a hearts and arrows scope that lets customers see the precision-cut facet up close and verify that what they’re purchasing is a true ideal cut stone.

Hearts and Arrows Diamond: Worth It?

There are many reasons to opt for the hearts and arrow facet on a diamond. Here are some of the benefits of the cut, all of which make it a worthwhile purchase and investment piece.

• Enhanced light performance – The ideal cut hearts and arrows pattern is completely symmetrical, optimal for light reflectivity and results in an inherently more brilliant diamond.
• Optical precision – A hearts and arrows diamond offers optical precision, meaning it has complete surface consistency in terms of facet shape, size, and alignment. This level of precision is only found on the highest quality diamonds, and takes an immense amount of skill to create.
• Bolder, more vibrant sparkle – Symmetry and precision in the design creates a stone unmatched in terms of sparkle. The result is an eye-catching diamond that stands out in any piece, one that will maintain its brilliance for many years to come.

When a hearts and arrows diamond is also ideal cut, it offers all of the 4Cs of an exceptional diamond: cut, color, clarity, and carat. For that reason, it’s essential to only buy an ideal cut hearts and arrows diamond, since otherwise you’re losing out on a lot of the potential beauty and value.

Diamonds with an ideal cut hearts and arrows pattern take more skill and more time to produce. However, when quality, brilliance, and longevity are the goal, it’s hard to do any better than a hearts and arrows stone.

Shop Ideal Cut Hearts and Arrows 

At Grunberger Diamonds, we specialize in ideal cut hearts and arrow diamonds that exceed all expectations of fire and brilliance. Visit our Services page and learn more about what makes us a leading diamond manufacturer and supplier, and request a quote to discover firsthand why we’re known for providing the ultimate quality and precision to business owners in the jewelry industry.

Have a question about our diamonds or want to open an account? Please contact us today and we’ll be glad to help.