Triple X diamond is a trade term referring to stones that have Excellent cut, polish and symmetry on their GIA grading reports.
Triple X diamond is a trade term for round brilliant diamonds that have been graded by GIA as having Excellent cut, Excellent symmetry and Excellent polish. X is short for Excellent, so Triple X really just means Triple Excellent.
A diamond’s cut, symmetry and polish grades indicate the quality of craftsmanship that went into transforming a diamond rough into a polished stone. All three affect a diamond’s interaction with light and are described on GIA Diamond Grading Reports as Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, to Poor .
What is Excellent Cut?
Cut is a diamond’s most important factor. It determines a diamond’s proportions — its depth and the angles of its facets — which in turn affect how light bounces around in a diamond. An Excellent cut grade means that a diamond has been cut within parameters that allow the diamond to give off intense brightness, sparkle and fire, while having an even pattern of light and dark areas (scintillation). Poorly cut diamonds often have large light or dark patches that make the stone appear dull or uninteresting to the eye.
What is Excellent symmetry?
Symmetry is about the exactness of a diamond’s shape. It refers to how well-aligned the facets are and how identical the same types of facets are in size, shape and proportion. In a diamond with Excellent symmetry, all of the facets should meet at the girdle (the widest part of the diamond). And the points of the kite-shaped facets on the crown (top of the diamond) should align with the points of the wedge-shaped facets on the pavilion (bottom of the diamond). The large octagonal table facet at the top should be centered, while the pavilion facets at the bottom should meet in a perfect point at the tip of the diamond. Excellent symmetry enhances a diamond’s light return and can make a diamond appear more harmonious to the eye.
What is Excellent polish?
Polish is the quality of a diamond’s finish or how smoothly the surface of a diamond has been polished. A diamond with Excellent polish has no polish defects visible at 10× magnification. Small surface defects, such as pits and polish lines, are often created by the polishing wheel during the polishing process and can usually be removed through re-polishing. While they are often invisible to the unaided eye, having a lot of surface defects will dim the shine and sparkle of the stone.
Think of the diamond’s facets as mirrors. The smoother the surface, the more perfect the reflection. The diamond gathers light through these mirrors (facets) from around the observer. When a diamond has the right proportions and symmetry, the mirrors reflect that light as a dazzling play of brightness, fire and scintillation.
Triple X Diamonds’s price
Diamonds with an Excellent cut grade, Very Good polish, and Very Good symmetry cost less than Triple X diamonds, providing all else is the same. The visual difference between them and a Triple X diamond will rarely be obvious to the unaided eye.
.Triple X diamonds cost a little more than diamonds with lower cut, polish and symmetry grades, but the price difference might be worth it to discerning buyers. After all, the Triple X designation signals that a diamond has been carefully and masterfully crafted.
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