what is a shallow cut or spread cut diamond ?

Most people desire large diamonds. When choosing an engagement ring, the first thought is always to buy a big carat diamond. But the larger the diamonds, the more expensive they are. At least, that’s the general understanding.

But the good news is, it’s not true. You can get a large size diamond that’s not too expensive—you can get shallow cut or spread diamonds. Never heard of them?

In this article, we tell you what are spread diamonds, why you should consider them and to choose yours. Read on!

What are spread diamonds?

Spread diamonds are diamond cuts that make diamonds look bigger than they actually are. At the same time, they are not more expensive than diamonds of the same carat size. Spread diamonds are also called shallow cut.

But to understand shallow cuts, it’s essential to know about the ideal diamond cuts. Ideal diamond shapes and cuts have measurements that impact the brilliance and sparkle of diamonds.

How does shallow cut affect the diamond appearance?

When seen from the side, a shallow cut diamond appears to lack depth compared to the standard-cut diamonds. But when seen from above, the shallow cut diamonds look wider than standard-cut stones.

Why so? That’s because the additional width because of the reduced depth of the diamond makes it look larger. Diamond cuts and diamond shapes affect the appearance of the diamonds.

Why should you buy spread diamonds?

• Spread diamonds look bigger than they actually are—that’s the biggest reason one should consider these stones. For those who are looking for a bigger size at a lesser price, spread diamonds are a good option.
• As spread diamonds are shallow compared to the standard cut dimensions, the more shallow cut diamonds are far from the ideal cut, the lower their prices.

The drawbacks of shallow cut diamonds

• Spread diamonds are bigger and cheaper than their counterpart diamonds. And so, many people might think it’s a good deal and a smart way to buy a big diamond. But that’s not true. When diamond shapes are cut shallow, they lose their brilliance.
• When diamonds are shallow cut, it impacts their performance and appearance. For example, since the diamond is shallow, most of the light isn’t reelected back but lost.
• When grading a shallow cut diamond, both the Gemological Institute of America and American Gem Society consider the spread of certain diamond cut shapes such as round cut diamond.  However, for fancy cut diamonds, there is little information available in the grading report.

How to choose spread or shallow cut diamonds?

Buying a shallow cut diamond means you’d have to pay less for a big carat diamond, but you’d have to compromise with the quality. Shallow cut diamonds lack sparkle and brilliance and hence, if you’re okay with lower quality performance, you could go for spread diamonds.

The diamond cut of spread diamonds is not graded as ‘excellent’ or ‘good’, and you should be okay with that. Spread diamonds are graded lower.

When you buy a shallow cut diamond, you should always check the diamond grading certificate as it mentions the carat diamond size. That way you can know the real size of the diamond.

It’s tricky to identify a good spread diamond based on the depth. And hence, you must consider the carat size of the diamond. You must also look at performance videos under different light, etc., if you’re buying a shallow cut diamond online.

Should you buy shallow cut diamonds?

The answer to this question would be based on your preference and requirements from your diamonds.

If you want a diamond that looks big but is not as expensive, you could go for a spread diamond. It is less carat diamond but looks as big as its alternative counterpart that is not shallow cut.

Now, if you’re looking for high quality diamond that exudes brilliance and sparkle and performs the best under different conditions, you must avoid buying the shallow cut.

The choice to buy a spread diamond depends completely on what you desire from your diamonds.