Brilliant Cut Gemstones

The “Brilliant” (or “Round Brilliant”) cut is one of the most well-known shapes for gemstones and is meant to emphasize the shine of a stone. In this cut, many facets are cut into the surface of the diamond to increase its refractiveness and luster. This cut is usually employed when the stone from which it is cut is an octahedron. It was developed in the early 20th century by master cutter Marcel Tolkowsky.

This cut is very familiar to most as the stereotypical “diamond” shape, with a large, circular top (the ‘Table’), with a short base (the ‘Crown’), a wide brim (the “Girdle”), and a cone-like drop (the ‘Pavilion’) into a final point at the bottom (the ‘Culet’). The standard number of refractive facets cut into the stone is around 33 (for the crown) and 25 (for the pavilion), though these sometimes vary in size and number, leading to some contention within the gem cutting community.