If you’re interested in jewelry, then you’ve probably heard of the term diamond girdle thickness.
But what is it? The answer to that question is more complicated than you might expect.
Diamonds are made up of many different parts and layers, and each one affects how thick a diamond’s girdle will be. This blog post will cover everything from carat weight to cut quality to help explain What is Diamond Girdle Thickness!
What Is Girdle Thickness?
The size of a diamond’s girdle refers to the widest part of its outermost edge. This measurement varies based on where in the world it was cut.
But most gemologists consider this data too difficult for beginners; knowing this information doesn’t provide any more details about value and quality than what you can get from just looking at your diamonds’ cut grades.
Diamonds are measured for carat weight, cut grade, and clarity. But there’s one other factor that is not as well-known – the diamond girdle thickness. It can affect how much light passes through a diamond because it affects the size of the diamonds’ table facet (the flat top surface).
If you want to make sure your diamond sparkles more than others, make sure it’s GHT or “girdle” measurement falls anywhere between 0.65 mm and 0.85 mm: this will maximize brilliance and minimize scintillation when compared with a thicker girdle or narrower tables.
It’s important to understand what a girth measurement means before reading on. A “girth” or “girdle” refers to the part of the stone between its table and culet (the bottom facet).
The word comes from an old English word for a belt worn around one’s waist. So technically, it has nothing at all to do with how fat anything is – just like diamonds are graded based on additional factors besides weight alone!
The girth measurement of a diamond is measured in millimeters, starting from the table to the culet.
A 0.65 mm girdle will maximize brilliance and minimize scintillation when compared with a thicker girdle or narrower table.
Diamonds that have an average thickness are considered “ideal” (though not all diamonds fall into this category).
A thick diamond’s depth can be very deep without compromising beauty because it is cut for maximum fire and dispersion. On the other hand, you may want to consider a thin stone if your budget doesn’t allow for larger stones due to backlighting issues.
They’re easier to see under light conditions than those of different widths. It’s important to note that there isn’t a universal measurement for girdle thickness, but the industry standard is to measure from table to table.
Why Is The Diamond’s Girdle Thickness Important?
Diamonds are often graded on the four C’s, which include carat weight, clarity, cut, and color. One of these grades is called girdle thickness or table height.
This grade measures how much a diamond has been thickened to improve its proportions at the top. It also determines whether there will be any changes in faceting and shape as well as an effect on light refraction properties such as brilliance and fire that can detract from a stone’s appearance.
You might have seen this measurement indicated by certain acronyms GPTH for Girdle/Pavilion Thickness or PTDIA (Table Depth Index Angle).
The most widely accepted method of measuring diamonds’ girth measurements is regarding the diameter of the top, which is measured at a certain height on the diamond. This measurement is then multiplied by 0.0254 to get the GPTH or PTDIA grade.
The other way would be much simpler and that would be to measure your finger size, which you can do in inches (around its circumference). Then use this equation: “GPAT = Ring Size x 12/14″ where Ring Size stands for ‘circumference around finger’ before adjusting it using fractions of an inch. The result after applying this calculation will give you how many “points” up from zero point.
The GPTH or PTDIA scale is used to measure the thickness of a diamond’s girdle – that area around its widest point, which is considered one-fourth of the total circumference and includes both sides.
The height on this measurement will determine how much light can enter through it during an eye examination. Thus, if you’re buying diamonds for some sort of jewelry purpose (weddings/engagements) then knowing about these measurements becomes crucial in deciding whether your purchase would be worth its price tag or not.
There are two ways to find out what’s the GPTH when purchasing: either by measuring the length from zero points up until it reaches halfway across the round cut, or by measuring the width at its widest point.
How Is Girdle Thickness Described On A Grading Report?
The first thing you should know is that the rock’s girdle thickness is usually not included in a grading report. This can be confusing, as it sounds like it would be an important factor to many people who are trying to figure out how thick their diamond necklace or engagement ring might need to be based on the diamond they’ve purchased.
However, according to the GIA (Gemological Institute of America), “the term ‘girdle’ refers only to those planes intersecting the table and pavilion.”
The reason for this exclusion is because most gemologists consider these measurements too difficult for beginners (as explained above).
Types of Diamond Girdle Thickness
The four types of diamond girdle thicknesses are as follows:
Thin Girdles
These types of diamonds have a thin or almost nonexistent girdle. They are also known as “shear” cuts. The stone’s weight is evenly distributed across the bottom and does not maximize contact with the table facet, which results in a lower price.
Medium Girdles
This type of diamond has a girdle that is wider than the thin but not as wide as the thick ones. The width allows for more contact with the table facet, and thus higher prices.
Thick Girdles
This category features stones that have an extremely large girdle. The girdle, on average, is twice the width of a medium diamond and almost always extends past both sides of the table facet. These diamonds are rare because they can only be cut from large rough stones that weigh over two carats
Extra Thick Girdles
This category features the most expensive type of diamonds which have a girdle that is three times the width of a medium diamond. The extra thickness allows for more contact with the table facet, and thus higher prices.
The most expensive type of diamond has an extremely large girdle that has three times the width of a medium-sized diamond. This makes it possible to better utilize the table facet, which leads to higher prices.
The Effect of Diamond Girdle Thickness on a Diamond
Here’s how the diamond girdle thickness affects the different aspects of a diamond:
Durability
Diamonds with a thicker girdle are more durable because they have less risk of exposure to the outside elements. In general, diamonds with a higher carat weight also tend to be tougher and resilient as well.
Weight
The thickness of the diamond’s girdle will affect its weight by adding or subtracting from the total carat weight of the diamond.
Price
A thicker girdle will generally mean a more expensive stone, due to the added rarity and potential uniqueness that comes with it.
Brilliance
The thickness of the stone’s girdles directly affects its brilliance by impacting how much light is scattered inside the stone. The thicker the girdle, the more light is bounced back to be viewed by an observer on the opposite side of the stone.
Aesthetic Value
The thickness of a diamond’s girdle contributes to its aesthetic value, as it can create the illusion in certain lighting that there are two stones inside the stone instead of just one. This effect is most commonly seen when looking at diamonds with a light-colored girdle.
Cognizance
The thickness of the diamond’s girdle plays an important role in determining what size is best suited for it, as thicker ones will require more length than thin ones to avoid sharp angles and allow enough space for prongs or other attachment methods. This may also affect how well the diamond will withstand wear and tear over time.
The best thickness for a girdle is one that creates an illusion of extreme lightness, which can be achieved by selecting stones with thin or medium-thick girdles.
Final Thoughts
Diamonds come in many sizes and shapes, but none are more popular than round-cut diamonds.
The girdle thickness of a diamond plays an important role in determining what size is best suited for it.
Thicker ones will require more length than thin ones to avoid sharp angles and allow enough space for prongs or other attachment methods. This may also affect how well the diamond will withstand wear and tear over time.