What negative effect does an excess pavilion bulge have on a step cut diamond?

What negative effect does an excess pavilion bulge have on a step cut diamond?

• A. Excess pavilion bulge decreases brilliance but reduces weight.
• B. Excess pavilion bulge increases unplanned light leakage and adds weight.
• C. It has no effect on light performance.
• D. It increases carat weight by changing density.

Answer: (B)

An excess pavilion bulge changes the lower half of the diamond’s geometry in a way that disrupts how light travels inside a step-cut stone. The pavilion is the bottom portion, and when it bulges outward beyond the intended shape, facet angles shift and the light path becomes irregular. In step cuts, where large, flat facets rely on precise reflections, this extra bulging causes light to strike at less favorable angles and to leak out through the pavilion or girdle instead of returning to the viewer. That unplanned light leakage dulls brilliance and affects the stone’s overall sparkle. Simultaneously, the bulge adds material volume, which increases the stone’s weight. That extra mass changes the balance of proportions and the apparent carat weight, something buyers usually want to avoid if the goal is a specific, ideal cut. So the negative effects are both reduced light performance and added weight, which is why this option is the best answer.

An excess pavilion bulge changes the lower half of the diamond’s geometry in a way that disrupts how light travels inside a step-cut stone. The pavilion is the bottom portion, and when it bulges outward beyond the intended shape, facet angles shift and the light path becomes irregular. In step cuts, where large, flat facets rely on precise reflections, this extra bulging causes light to strike at less favorable angles and to leak out through the pavilion or girdle instead of returning to the viewer. That unplanned light leakage dulls brilliance and affects the stone’s overall sparkle.

Simultaneously, the bulge adds material volume, which increases the stone’s weight. That extra mass changes the balance of proportions and the apparent carat weight, something buyers usually want to avoid if the goal is a specific, ideal cut. So the negative effects are both reduced light performance and added weight, which is why this option is the best answer.