DG-M5 Demantoid: keeps its light when tilted

Brilliance 93 · Fire 68 · Scintillation 85 · in our census, where the T73 scores 97 · 84 · 80 in demantoid

How the DG-M5 handles light in demantoid, measured: brilliance 93, fire 68 and 7% leakage, set against the T73 in the same stone and against the same cut in diamond.

The DG-M5 in demantoid, face-up Light Return map from our tracer at refractive index 1.881: red, green and blue show where the light returns from, gray shows where it leaks
Light Return map of the DG-M5 in demantoid, face-up, from our own tracer at refractive index 1.881. Red, green and blue return light to the eye; gray leaks.

DG-M5 Demantoid

Demantoid has a refractive index of 1.881 to 1.888 and a dispersion of 0.057. Its critical angle, from the low end of that range, is 32.1°, so a round design needs a pavilion of at least 37.0° for head-on light to reflect off both sides of the pavilion and leave through the table. We trace it with one index, 1.885, the midpoint of the published range, and a fire spread of 0.049, 0.86 of the published dispersion. Every picture here is our Light Return tracer at 1.881, and every figure is from the same light census that scores the other gemstones; the 3D Gemstone Simulator shows the DG-M5 in demantoid live.

The DG-M5 has 85 facets and a total depth of 60.6% of its width; its pavilion mains sit at 41.5°. In demantoid, the census returns 93 of 100 for brilliance and 68 for fire, against 97 and 84 for the T73, our benchmark, in the same stone; the same DG-M5 in diamond reads 97 and 67.

Is demantoid good in a DG-M5? Pros and cons, measured

Compared with the T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid and with the DG-M5 in diamond. A difference counts from 3 points (Brilliance, Fire, Tilt, Leakage), 5 (Scintillation, Symmetry), 4% (face-up size per carat) or 5% (weight); Tilt counts as a pro only for a stone within 5 points of the brilliance it is compared with. How we measure.

All eight scores against the T73

At a glance: the DG-M5 in demantoid (white) against the T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid (dashed): solid white where it reaches further, hatched where it falls short. Each pro and con is explained, with pictures, below.

Performance wheel: DG-M5 in demantoid, against the T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid as an outline. Solid white marks where it reaches further, hatching where it falls short. The scores are listed below.50100Global−2Brilliance−4Fire−16Scintillation+5Spread0Symmetry0Shape-norm−4Tilt+10

Against the T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid: ahead on 2, level on 2, behind on 4.

  • Global88, the comparison 90, difference −2
  • Brilliance93, the comparison 97, difference −4
  • Fire68, the comparison 84, difference −16
  • Scintillation85, the comparison 80, difference +5
  • Spread100, the comparison 100, difference 0
  • Symmetry100, the comparison 100, difference 0
  • Shape-norm100, the comparison 104, difference −4
  • Tilt89, the comparison 79, difference +10
Face-up light census, a different measure from the Cut Grading Tool; Spread and Shape-norm above 100 sit on the ring. Spread is the census's estimate from depth alone; the face-up size in the pros and cons is measured from each model's outline. Open it in the Cut Performance Wheel; these are the same census figures as our Cut Performance Index.

What the DG-M5 gains in demantoid

Keeps its light when tilted

Tilt 89 against 79 for the T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid: 10 points higher

Tilt is how much of its face-up brilliance a stone keeps when the census tilts it 20° about its long axis, with 2,200 rays. The DG-M5 keeps 89 against 79 for the T73. The tilt strips below show the maps at 0°, 10°, 20° and 30°, with each picture's own leak share under it.

DG-M5 in demantoid · Tilt 89

Dg-m5 in demantoid tilted 0 degrees: Light Return map, 6% of the face leaking0° · 6% leak
Dg-m5 in demantoid tilted 10 degrees: Light Return map, 3% of the face leaking10° · 3% leak
Dg-m5 in demantoid tilted 20 degrees: Light Return map, 18% of the face leaking20° · 18% leak
Dg-m5 in demantoid tilted 30 degrees: Light Return map, 27% of the face leaking30° · 27% leak

T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid · Tilt 79

T73 round brilliant in demantoid tilted 0 degrees: Light Return map, 1% of the face leaking0° · 1% leak
T73 round brilliant in demantoid tilted 10 degrees: Light Return map, 6% of the face leaking10° · 6% leak
T73 round brilliant in demantoid tilted 20 degrees: Light Return map, 17% of the face leaking20° · 17% leak
T73 round brilliant in demantoid tilted 30 degrees: Light Return map, 29% of the face leaking30° · 29% leak
Tilt is how much of its own face-up light a stone keeps when tilted. Each frame is the Light Return map with the stone tilted away from you by the angle shown; gray is leakage. The share under each frame is that picture's own.

Try it yourself: Compare the Tilt spoke in the Cut Performance Wheel

More facets, more sparkle

Scintillation 85 against 80 for the T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid: 5 points higher

Scintillation follows the number of facets the stone shows: 100 × (1 − e^(−facets / 45)). The DG-M5 has 85 facets and the T73 73, so 85 against 80. It depends on the geometry alone, so it is the same in every stone.

DG-M5 · 85 facets · Scintillation 85

T73 Round Brilliant · 73 facets · Scintillation 80

Scintillation follows the number of facets: more facets, more and smaller flashes as the stone moves. Compare the facet counts under the drawings; each drawing shows only the crown. Drawn from each cut's own model.

Try it yourself: Compare the Scintillation spoke in the Cut Performance Wheel

What the DG-M5 gives up in demantoid

Less fire than the T73 in demantoid

Fire 68 against 84 for the T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid: 16 points lower

Fire is the share of the returned light that splits into color at the exit facet: the census traces each exit again at the refractive index minus and plus the fire spread (0.049 in demantoid) and counts a ray as fire when the two directions differ by more than 0.6°. The DG-M5 reads 68 against 84 for the T73 in demantoid. The figure is the census's; the 3D Gemstone Simulator renders demantoid's fire live.

The fire figure is the census's, traced at the refractive index minus and plus the fire spread. See the fire in the 3D Gemstone Simulator: the DG-M5 in demantoid under the sunny-day lighting.

What helps: the DG-Elongated Hexagon reads 97 for fire in demantoid, the best of the cuts we score there.

Try it yourself: See the fire in the 3D Gemstone Simulator

Heavier than the same cut in diamond

1.08 ct at 6.5 mm, against 0.98 ct for the same cut in diamond (+9%)

Weight follows specific gravity: 3.85 for demantoid against 3.52 for diamond, so the same model at the same size weighs 1.08 ct here and 0.98 ct in diamond, 6.5 mm across. Nothing about the light changes with it.

Demantoid1.08 ctDiamond0.98 ct
A DG-M5 6.5 mm across, weighed from the model's measured volume and each stone's specific gravity.

Try it yourself: Weights in every gemstone on the DG-M5 page

Returns less light than the T73 in demantoid

Brilliance 93 against 97 for the T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid: 4 points lower

Brilliance is the share of the 3,200 census rays that enter the stone and come back out of the crown towards the viewer. In demantoid, whose critical angle is 32.1°, the DG-M5 returns 93 of 100 and the T73 97. The DG-M5's pavilion mains sit at 41.5°, the T73's at 40.8°. The maps below show where each stone's light returns from and where it leaks.

Dg-m5 in demantoid face-up Light Return map: red, green and blue show where the light returns from, gray shows where it leaks (Brilliance 93)

DG-M5 in demantoid · Brilliance 93

T73 round brilliant in demantoid face-up Light Return map: red, green and blue show where the light returns from, gray shows where it leaks (Brilliance 97)

T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid · Brilliance 97

Red, green and blue = light returning to the eye; gray = leakage, light that leaves heading down or stays inside. This is the head-on view; the Brilliance score averages a wider cone of light, so the score can differ from what one picture shows.

What helps: the DG-Broken Hearts and Arrows reads 97 for brilliance in demantoid, the best of the cuts we score there.

Try it yourself: Open this Light Return map in the simulator

Leaks more light than the T73 in demantoid

Leakage 7 against 3 for the T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid: 4 points higher

Leakage is the share of the census rays that enter the stone and leave through the pavilion, or through the crown heading down. The DG-M5 leaks 7% in demantoid against 3% for the T73 in demantoid. Grey in the maps below is leaking light; the share under each picture is that picture's own.

DG-M5 in demantoid · Leakage 7

Dg-m5 in demantoid tilted 0 degrees: Light Return map, 6% of the face leaking0° · 6% leak
Dg-m5 in demantoid tilted 10 degrees: Light Return map, 3% of the face leaking10° · 3% leak
Dg-m5 in demantoid tilted 20 degrees: Light Return map, 18% of the face leaking20° · 18% leak
Dg-m5 in demantoid tilted 30 degrees: Light Return map, 27% of the face leaking30° · 27% leak

T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid · Leakage 3

T73 round brilliant in demantoid tilted 0 degrees: Light Return map, 1% of the face leaking0° · 1% leak
T73 round brilliant in demantoid tilted 10 degrees: Light Return map, 6% of the face leaking10° · 6% leak
T73 round brilliant in demantoid tilted 20 degrees: Light Return map, 17% of the face leaking20° · 17% leak
T73 round brilliant in demantoid tilted 30 degrees: Light Return map, 29% of the face leaking30° · 29% leak
Each frame is the Light Return map with the stone tilted away from you by the angle shown; gray is leakage. The share under each frame is that picture's own.

What helps: the DG-Broken Hearts and Arrows reads 3% for leakage in demantoid, the best of the cuts we score there.

Try it yourself: Tilt it yourself in the simulator's light map

Our verdict on the DG-M5 in demantoid

Pick the DG-M5 in demantoid for this: it keeps its light when tilted and has more facets to sparkle with. The catch: it shows less fire than the T73, weighs more than in diamond, returns less light than the T73 and leaks more light than the T73.

If that catch matters more to you, the DG-Elongated Hexagon reads 97 for fire in demantoid, the best of the cuts we score there.

Every figure on this page is from our light census, traced at one refractive index: a simulation of the geometry, not a grading report. The 3D files and cutting files below are the same DG-M5 model we traced.

DG-M5 Demantoid: questions

Is the DG-M5 a good cut for demantoid?

In our census the DG-M5 returns 93 of 100 for brilliance and 68 for fire in demantoid, against 97 and 84 for the T73 in the same stone. Against that round and against the same cut in diamond it has 2 pros and 4 cons by our thresholds; the summary above names them.

What pavilion angle does demantoid need?

At least 37.0° for a round design: demantoid's critical angle is 32.1°, from the low end of its refractive index range, and head-on light has to reflect off both sides of the pavilion and leave through the table. The DG-M5's pavilion mains sit at 41.5°.

How much does a DG-M5 weigh in demantoid?

At 6.5 mm across, 1.08 ct in demantoid, against 0.98 ct for the same cut in diamond (+9%): demantoid's specific gravity is 3.85, diamond's 3.52.

Can I see the DG-M5 in demantoid in 3D?

Yes: the 3D Gemstone Simulator renders it live, with demantoid's own refractive index and dispersion. Demantoid is traced by the same light census as the other gemstones, with its refractive index and fire spread derived from published values, so its scores are on the same scale; the pictures here are our Light Return tracer, and the Cut Performance Wheel sets it against any other cut and stone.

Get the DG-M5 Cut files

6 formatsMillimetersWatertight

DG-M5 Cut 3D files

The DG-M5 Cut as exact geometry: 85 planar facets, real-world scale, ready for CAD, rendering, printing and casting.

  • STEPExact faceted solid for CAD
  • 3DMRhino, closed mesh on its own layer
  • STLWatertight mesh for printing and casting
  • OBJMesh for modeling and rendering
  • FBXBlender, 3ds Max, Maya, Cinema 4D, Unity, Unreal
  • GLBWeb, AR and quick previews
GemCad96 index

DG-M5 Cut cutting files

The DG-M5 Cut as a faceting design: 61 + 24 girdles = 85 facets, 96 index, 12-fold mirror-image symmetry, ready for the machine.

  • .ascGemCad design file, 96 index gear
  • .csvTier table: angles, indices and cutting order
  • DiagramPrintable faceting diagram

Not sure the files open in your software? Get the cube free: the same six formats, for your email address, used only to send them (privacy).

Questions before you buy? Email us.

More gemstones and cuts

Demantoid: optical properties and the top ten cuts · The DG-M5: specifications, model and files

Other cuts in demantoid

The DG-M5 in other gemstones