Navigating the Pros and Cons of Excellent Cut vs. Very Good Cut
When choosing a diamond, cut is the C that does the most for visible brilliance — and it is also where buyers most often overpay. Excellent and Very Good cut grades sit close together visually but apart in price. This guide explains what each grade actually measures, when Excellent is worth the premium, and when Very Good is the smarter choice.
In short: Excellent-cut diamonds return the most light and command a 10-15% premium over Very Good cuts, but Very Good cuts return roughly 90% of the brilliance and are nearly indistinguishable to the naked eye in 1.00ct stones. For most US buyers, Very Good Cut with Excellent Polish and Symmetry on a G/VS1 stone delivers the best value-to-sparkle ratio at $1,500-$2,500 lab-grown.
What "cut" actually measures
Cut grades the human craftsmanship on the stone rather than its natural qualities. It assesses how well the 57 or 58 facets are proportioned, aligned, and polished so light bounces around inside the stone and exits the top as brilliance (white light return), fire (rainbow color flashes), and scintillation (sparkle as the stone or viewer moves). A poorly cut diamond leaks light through the pavilion, looking dull regardless of color and clarity grades. A well-cut diamond looks bright even at modest color and clarity grades.
Excellent cut: what GIA looks for
A GIA Excellent cut grade means the diamond meets strict criteria across seven attributes: brightness, fire, scintillation, weight ratio, durability, polish, and symmetry. Table sizes, crown angles, pavilion depths, and facet alignments all fall within optimal ranges. Excellent cut diamonds return roughly 90-95% of incoming light through the table, producing maximum visual brilliance for the stone. Triple Excellent (XXX) means cut, polish, and symmetry are all graded Excellent.