The girdle is the outer edge of a diamond where the top of a
diamond, also referred to as the crown, meets the bottom of a diamond, or the pavilion. When buying diamonds you should not only pay attention to the crown but also take a closer look to the girdle, as it has quite an impact on the appearance of the diamond.
How does the girdle affect the appearance of a diamond, and what you should know about the girdle when buying this precious stone?
What You Need To Know About Diamond Girdles
Depending on the cut of the girdle, it might be very easy or difficult to see. However, various girdle characteristics will have an impact on how a diamond will look. When buying a diamond you will notice that the girdle comes in various thicknesses. Usually professional jewellers recommend that buyers take a look at both thin and thick girdles to see which is more appealing to them.
Below are the abbreviations used to mark girdle thickness:
• XTN, ET, XT, EXN = Extremely Thin
• VTN, VT, VETN = Very Thin
• T, TN, TH = Thin
• M, ME, MD = Medium
• STK, ST, SLTK, SLTH = Slightly Thick
• T, TK, TH = Thick
• VTK, VTH, VETK, VET = Very Thick
• ET, EXTK, XT, XTK = Extremely Thick
• F, FA, FAC = Faceted
• S, SM = Smooth
• P, PO = Polished
The girdle is known to affect the appearance of a diamond in three significant ways:
• Thicker girdles add weight to a diamond, which increases its prices. However, when viewed from above a diamond will not appear larger, as thick girdles add depth to a stone rather than width.
• The thickness of the girdle impacts position of the surrounding facets and the cut.
• A girdle that is extremely thin will be more prone to chipping, and should be avoided for diamonds that are to be set in a ring.
While selecting a loose diamond, a thinner or thicker girdle won’t have a critical impact on a diamond that is well cut. However, a fluctuation between the thinnest and thickest girdle might affect diamond’s symmetry, which will make the diamond’s size look disproportionate.
If you are looking for a diamond with an ideal cut, we recommend looking at diamonds with a thin, medium or slightly thick girdle as they are considered to be the best girdle thicknesses.
Quality Diamonds From La Vivion
We have over 300 years of experience and know the diamond business inside out. This allows us to offer you some of the most exquisite and well cut diamonds in the market. Whether you are looking to customise your ring with a diamond, or want an existing ring, we will strive to meet your requirements.
For more information please contact La Vivion at: lavivion@lavivion.com