(PRESS RELEASE) Most in our industry are aware that fancy shape diamonds have found their place in our showcases and in our hearts. In fact, and for the first time, fancy shapes represent over 50% of diamond submissions to the GCAL by Sarine laboratory. It wasn’t that long ago that over 85% of diamonds sold were rounds. That has certainly changed.
For almost 25 years, GCAL has been renowned for accurate, consistent and ethical gemstone grading. The 8X premium diamond cut grade was built on that legacy. And now GCAL by Sarine announces the creation and launch of two new shapes for 8X: the 8X Marquise and the 8X Pear.
As with the introductions of the 8X Oval and Princess, GCAL once again challenged the tradition of only grading polish and symmetry for fancy shape diamonds. GCAL introduced a new standard that focused on eight critical factors, uniquely analyzing the Marquise and the Pear. While the first seven critical factors of analysis are the same for all shapes (polish, external symmetry, proportions, optical brilliance, fire, scintillation and optical symmetry), instead of hearts & arrows for rounds, the eighth critical factor – shape aesthetics – ensures fancy shapes exhibit, and maximize the unique qualities most desirable to that shape.
“Creating parameters for cutting 8X Marquise and Pear shapes was more challenging than we anticipated,” explained Angelo Palmieri, GCAL by Sarine president. There were critical factors that played into how the stone performs, but our focus remained the same – maximizing light return, while minimizing the bow tie.”
According to Erick Castille, head of the 8X development team, “We were once again able to take advantage of the vast wealth of analytical images and data from every marquise and pear shape diamond that has passed through the GCAL lab since opening in 2000. We were able to build custom analytical tools to help us comb through that vast wealth of stone data to determine which specific proportion combinations most correlated with top-tier light performance, and conversely, which combinations were indicators of common light performance shortcomings for each shape, including bowtie.”
8X Marquise
A symmetrical, and well-proportioned marquise diamond has a unique elegance, and to some, can create the desirable effect of a slimmer finger when set in a ring. GCAL found that one of the most common performance pitfalls for marquise shapes has to do with blockage that can appear under the table, reducing the stone’s perceived light return. This happens as a result of the viewer’s head creating a dark reflection from the stone’s longer, shallower pavilion main facets. This particular phenomenon becomes more common the greater a stone’s length-to-width ratio, and our parameters have been designed to combat this issue, even for longer stones.
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As is always the case with 8X, GCAL created very tight parameters, making certain the resulting cut stone maximized light performance. For example, if a marquise stone has a crown angle of 35°, the pavilion half facets in the central region of the stone must average between 41.7° and 42.2° to control the dark “bowtie” effect commonly seen in marquise cuts. When cut symmetrically to GCAL’s proportions, the resulting light performance of the 8X Marquise is extraordinary.
8X Pear
A well-cut pear-shape diamond combines the elegance of a marquise with the brilliance of a round, but introduces some unique challenges to cutters. One of these challenges is a tendency for large regions of escaped light, or light that is not returned back to the observer’s eye, at the rounded head of the stone. This is due to steep pavilion facets in the region. GCAL’s 8X parameters are designed to combat this issue, resulting in a pear-shape stone that is more visually pleasing in a real-world setting. Following GCAL’s guidelines, diamond cutters can ensure the stone exhibits optimal light return, with balanced physical and optical symmetry.
As with the 8X Marquise, GCAL’s 8X Pear proportions are designed to minimize the dark “bowtie” effect that can be observed in some fancy shape stones. This is similarly addressed by controlling the correlation between the stone’s 4 central pavilion half angles, and the stone’s crown angle.
Angelo continued: “As a result, diamond certificates have been created that honor the exceptional craftsmanship in fancy shape diamond cutting. And not merely with words, but with scientific and visual analysis that backs up those claims. This is the proof retailers need to demonstrate a diamond’s brilliance, fire, scintillation, and beauty, so consumers can make a more informed decision of which diamond to purchase.”
“We’re thrilled with the acceptance and retail sales of our 8X certified diamonds. And based on the consistent requests we continue to have for 8X fancies, we now expect nothing less with the new Marquise and Pear. It’s never been more important for salespeople to be able to demonstrate… and for consumers to appreciate… the brilliance and beauty of the best of the best fancy shape diamonds. And yes, other 8X shapes are on the way.”
For more information about GCAL by Sarine, 8X, or any of the unique and exclusive GCAL products and services, please contact sales@gcalusa.com or call 212-869-8985.
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