WHAT SETS THE 8X® APART FROM OTHER EX/EX/EX DIAMONDS?
The 8X Ultimate Cut Grade was developed to distinguish the best of the best diamonds. In today’s market, more than half of all Round Brilliant Cut diamonds are given ‘Excellent’ Cut grades, but less than 1% of those qualify as 8X. The GCAL 8X Ultimate Cut Grade gives discerning buyers a way to confidently select the most brilliant and beautiful diamonds, even when purchasing online, sight unseen.
THE GCAL 8X® ULTIMATE DIAMOND CUT GRADING SYSTEM
ENCOMPASSES ALL ASPECTS OF DIAMOND CUT QUALITY ASSESSMENT
PHYSICAL
EXCELLENCE
- 1Polish
- 2External Symmetry
- 3Proportions
LIGHT PERFORMANCE
EXCELLENCE
- 4Optical Brilliance
- 5Fire
- 6Scintillation
OPTICAL
EXCELLENCE
- 7Optical Symmetry
- 8Hearts & Arrows
PHYSICAL EXCELLENCE
The first three of the 8X grading factors analyze the exactness of the physical surface, the facet shapes, as well as the angles.
POLISH
Skill and time are required to produce a well polished diamond. GCAL gemologists examine every facet to ensure it is free of polish marks, burns and scratches
EXTERNAL SYMMETRY
Master cutters identically shape each facet around the diamond and ensure they are perfectly aligned. Only diamonds with precision faceting achieve a GCAL Excellent.
PROPORTIONS
Optical scanning technology measures each facet and angle to produce an accurate, to-scale diagram of every diamond.
| Table % : | 54.0% - 58.0% |
|---|---|
| Depth % : | 59.8% - 62.2% |
| Crown Angle : | 34.0 0 - 35.00 |
| Pavilion Angle : | 40.6 0 - 41.00 |
| Lower Girdle Facet Length : | 75% - 80% |
| Star Length : | 45% - 55% |
| Girdle Thickness : | THIN TO SLIGHTLY THICK, faceted |
| Culet Size : | NONE - VERY SMALL |
LIGHT PERFORMANCE EXCELLENCE
The next three of the 8X grading factors analyze the light handling ability of your diamond. The combination of these factors is the essence of what makes any diamond visibly shine, dance and sparkle from across a room.
OPTICAL BRILLIANCE
is the overall return of white light to the viewer. It is measured to the thousandth decimal place and is represented in this image. The white areas indicate light return / brilliance, and the dark blue areas indicate light loss.
FIRE
results when white light travels through a diamond and is dispersed into its rainbow of spectral colors. These flashes of color contribute to sparkle and are best viewed as the diamond moves.
SCINTILLATION
is the flashes of white light, or sparkle, produced when light is reflected from a diamond as it moves. This video shows the light returned from a single beam of light when your lab grown diamond is rotated in nine positions.
OPTICAL EXCELLENCE
The last two 8X grading factors scrutinize the craftsmanship and the precise alignment of the crown and pavilion facets in harmony, to achieve aesthetic perfection.
OPTICAL SYMMETRY
is visualized in this photograph of your lab grown diamond taken in a specific colored lighting environment. The evenness of the pattern illustrates the precision and uniformity of facet shapes and alignment..
HEARTS & ARROWS
Precision faceting is visualized as Hearts & Arrows when round brilliant cut diamonds are viewed in specific lighting conditions. Each pattern is the result of superior facet placement and exact alignment.