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External Features

Apart from proportions and symmetry, external features are taken into consideration when grading for cut. Evaluation with 10 x magnification is decisive.

External features may occur in large numbers and in manifold forms. In order to classify them, they have been divided into three main groups:

In this, natural features are the least strictly judged, those caused during cutting and those resulting from damage are more heavily penalized.

The following external features occur in cut diamonds:

natural crystal faces (naturals)
twinning lines
growth lines
= natural features
fringes at the girdle
rough girdle
rough culet
burn marks
polishing marks
traces of cutting
extra facets
= features caused during cutting
nicks
fractures
indentation marks
scratches
damage to edges
= features resulting from damage
Symmetry of the girdle Girdle