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Article: Why Should You Buy Jewelry Adorned With Brilliants?

Why Should You Buy Jewelry Adorned With Brilliants? - DSF Antique Jewelry
Antique Vintage

Why Should You Buy Jewelry Adorned With Brilliants?

A brilliant is a diamond that is cut in a particular way to produce maximum sparkle. That's why jewels with brilliants are astonishingly beautiful.

Antwerp Marcel Tolkowsky is the one who made, in 1919, a round cut with 57 facets, something never seen before, which received the name of "brilliant".

The shape of a brilliant resembles that of a cone and provides maximized light return through the top of the diamond, thus giving it exceptional brilliance.

Over the centuries, man has developed better and better techniques for processing precious and semiprecious stones. However, the brilliant-cut is considered ideal.

The Brilliant - A Short History

The first brilliants appeared in the middle of the 17th century. These diamonds, called "Mazarins" had 17 facets at the top, creating the crown effect. Venetian cutter Vincent Peruzzi added 16 more facets and created a diamond with 33 facets. At that time, jewelers had not yet mastered the technique of cutting round stones. The first brilliants were therefore square-shaped with rounded corners.

But the reflection of light that makes the brilliant so popular is forever linked to the name of Antwerp Marcel Tolkowsky, who elaborated a mathematical method for polishing round diamonds with 57 facets in 1919, bringing out the diamond’s brilliance, sparkle, and fire in the best possible way.
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Though he was not the one who invented the round cut, nevertheless he was the first one to make a mathematical analysis of the round brilliant cut, proving it to be the "ideal cut", something which other polishers before him had only based on empirical observations.  

Antwerp Marcel Tolkowsky found that if a diamond was cut too deep or shallow then the light would escape out the sides or bottom of the diamond, resulting in a loss of brilliance (white light reflected up through the top of a diamond), fire (colored light reflected from within a diamond), and sparkle (combination of fire and brilliance).

From an early age, Tolkowsky was encouraged by his grandfather, Abraham Tolkowsky, to focus more on the technical aspects of the diamond business rather than the design aspects.

After years of training in his family workshop, Tolkowsky attended the University of London to further his studies. There, he became an accomplished scholar, brilliant mathematician, physicist, and engineer. His name will forever be linked to the most beautiful cut a diamond can have - the round brilliant cut.

What Is The Brilliant Cut?

The terms diamond and brilliant are often confused. However, diamond and brilliant are not synonymous. A diamond is a rough gemstone that is naturally uneven and matte. The diamond is the hardest material that occurs in nature. A brilliant is the shape of a diamond with a round cut and many facets, perfected by Antwerp Marcel Tolkowsky.

Diamonds with the original "Tolkowsky cut" or the subsequent refinement of this multi-faceted round cut can be called "brilliants".  

Diamonds come in many other shapes: heart, pear, marquise, and baguette. But the round brilliant cut is above them - the 57 facets polished perfectly bring out the diamond’s qualities in the best possible way. That's why the brilliant cut is considered ideal.

Why Is Brilliant Jewelry So Loved?

Brilliants make up 75% of the diamond market today and are being used for the largest range of jewelry. The reason? They can be cut almost perfectly and, with a slightly lower-quality diamond, you can still get the maximum refraction of light. Therefore, the value of a brilliant is generally higher than that of a diamond cut in a different shape.

Another reason for the popularity of the brilliant-cut diamond is the advertising campaign in the 1940s. To boost the sale of diamonds at the time, the diamond giant De Beers promoted advertisements in which diamond engagement rings played the leading role. Their slogan "Diamonds are forever" became in time the slogan of the century.

Why Are Brilliants So Special?

A brilliant encompasses many of the human virtues such as perseverance, strength, endurance, purity, and beauty. To give someone a jewel adorned with a brilliant-cut diamond is perhaps the ultimate sign of true love.

The brilliant is undoubtedly a king among other polished stones because of its special shine and purity.

Brilliant rings are of timeless elegance. Although the first brilliant cuts date back to the 17th century, the crafting techniques evolved and, over the years, the cut of diamonds has become more sophisticated, ensuring that new designs sparkle more than ever.

Brilliant adorned jewelry can complement any outfit, regardless of style. Due to their simplicity, they are very versatile and are always a real eye-catcher.

Why Should I Buy Brilliants From DSF Antique Jewelry?

Buying a pair of brilliant earrings or a diamond ring is therefore one of the best choices. Why should you choose DSF Antique Jewelry? Simple: you can rest assured that you will get the best quality at a fair price.

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