Diamond Education
AGA Rules For Determining "Overall" Cut Grade
1A grade:
All characteristics are best when 1A, but may include a single 1B characteristic.
You pay a premium for this cut and you should insist on getting exactly what you are paying for.
1B grade:
All characteristics need to be all 1B or 1A to 2B. Only a single class 2 characteristic is permitted.
The class 2 characteristic should be within 2% or 2 degrees of the 1B characteristic.
2A grade:
All characteristics need to be 2A or 1A thru 2B. Only a single 2B parameter is permitted and it must be within
2% or 2 degrees of the 2A characteristic. (crown angle degree rounds only)
2B grade:
All characteristics need to be all 2B or 1A thru 3A. Only a single 3A characteristic is permitted and the
3A characteristic cannot be a very thick girdle or more than 1 degree too shallow a crown angle.
The 3A characteristic must be within 2% or 1 degree of the 2B characteristic. (crown angle degree rounds only)
3A grade:
A stone may be all 3A or 1A thru 4A. Any characteristics of 4A must be within 2% or 1 degree the 3B characteristic.
More than a single 4A characteristic and the stone cannot grade 3A. An overall class 4 girdle thickness cannot
grade 3A overall. An overall girdle thickness is NOT determined by a single thin or thick area of a girdle.
"Overall" has a meaning equivalent to "the major portion." (crown angle degree rounds only)
3B grade:
As stone may be all 3B or 1A thru 4B. Any single characteristic of grade 4B must be within 2% or 1 degree
of the 4A measurement. Only one class 4 characteristic permitted. Stones with class 4 extremely thick or
extremely thin over all girdles may not be graded overall 3B. (crown angle degree rounds only)
4A grade:
A stone may be all 4A or 1A thru 4B. Only two 4B characteristics are permitted at most. (crown angle
degree rounds only)
4B grade:
Is all 4B or may be any combination from 1A thru 4B. Stones with more than two 4B characteristics are automatically 4B.
Specialty Cuts:
There are diamonds that do not conform to the classic shape cut parameters and must be considered on an individual basis.
ONE CANNOT GRADE UNUSUAL CUT DIAMONDS SOLELY ON ARBITRARY PARAMETERS. EXPERIENCE IN EXAMINING DIAMONDS FOR EFFECTIVE AND
PRECISE CUTTING IS REQUIRED FOR CUTS NOT COVERED IN THE THREE CHARTS OF TYPICAL STANDARD CUT DIAMONDS.
For more information concerning AGA, please feel free to contact info@gemappraisers.com
revised 4/16/02