DG-Octagonal Kite Diamond: Pros & Cons

Eight crown kites run from the girdle corners of DG-Octagonal Kite to a large octagonal table, over eight triangles on the girdle flats; below, long pavilion kites close to a point. The model has 41 facets, a 55.0% table, a 32.0° crown and a steep 43.0° pavilion, and stands 70.0% deep.

We drew it for emerald, setting the pavilion kites clear of that stone's critical angle. Diamond's critical angle is far smaller, 24.4°, so the same kites reflect easily here. In the census it returns Brilliance 88 against 93 for the T73: the most light of any non-round cut we measure in diamond.

Is DG-Octagonal Kite good in diamond? Pros and cons

Pros

A little more fire than the T73 82 vs 78

Cons

Far fewer flashes than a round 60 vs 80
A little less light than the T73 88 vs 93
Some light leaks through the back 7 vs 2
Smaller for its weight 96 vs 100

Compared with the T73 Round Brilliant in diamond. A difference counts from 3 points (Brilliance, Fire, Tilt, Leakage), 5 (Scintillation, Symmetry), 2 (Spread) 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-Octagonal Kite in diamond (white) against the T73 Round Brilliant in diamond (dashed): solid white where it reaches further, hatched where it falls short. Each pro and con is explained, with pictures, below.

Against the T73 Round Brilliant in diamond: ahead on 2, level on 1, behind on 5.

Global86, the comparison 90, difference −4
Brilliance88, the comparison 93, difference −5
Fire82, the comparison 78, difference +4
Scintillation60, the comparison 80, difference −20
Spread96, the comparison 100, difference −4
Symmetry100, the comparison 100, difference 0
Shape-norm102, the comparison 100, difference +2
Tilt89, the comparison 92, difference −3

Face-up light census, a different measure from the Cut Grading Tool; Spread and Shape-norm above 100 sit on the ring.

Open it in the Cut Performance Wheel

What DG-Octagonal Kite gives a diamond

A little more fire than the T73

Fire 82 against 78 for the T73 Round Brilliant in diamond: 4 points higher

Large, simple facets send light out in broad flashes, and more of it is split into colour. The margin is small but clears our threshold.

Dg-octagonal kite in diamond face-up under a single bright light: a render from our simulator, its coloured flashes are the fire (score 82) — Look at the coloured flashes: those are fire. Same light, same size, same face-up angle; rendered by our 3D Gemstone Simulator from each cut's own model.

T73 round brilliant in diamond face-up under a single bright light: a render from our simulator, its coloured flashes are the fire (score 78) — Look at the coloured flashes: those are fire. Same light, same size, same face-up angle; rendered by our 3D Gemstone Simulator from each cut's own model.

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

Where DG-Octagonal Kite falls short in diamond

Far fewer flashes than a round

Scintillation 60 against 80 for the T73 Round Brilliant in diamond: 20 points lower

Our scintillation score follows the facet count, and 41 facets is little more than half the T73's 73. Expect a slow, bold pattern of light rather than a fine glitter.

DG-Octagonal Kite · 41 facets · Scintillation 60

T73 Round Brilliant · 73 facets · Scintillation 80

Scintillation follows the number of facets: more facets, more and smaller flashes as the stone moves. Count the facets in each crown. Drawn from each cut's own model.

What helps: The facet plan sets this. For a symmetrical outline with more sparkle, the Cushion Cut Diamond scores 85 and the Square Cut Diamond 78.

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

A little less light than the T73

Brilliance 88 against 93 for the T73 Round Brilliant in diamond: 5 points lower

The gap is small for a fancy shape: most non-round cuts we measure in diamond trail the T73 by far more.

Dg-octagonal kite in diamond face-up Light Return map: red, green and blue show where the light returns from, grey shows where it leaks (Brilliance 88) — Red, green and blue = light returning to the eye; grey = light leaving through the pavilion. 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.

T73 round brilliant in diamond face-up Light Return map: red, green and blue show where the light returns from, grey shows where it leaks (Brilliance 93) — Red, green and blue = light returning to the eye; grey = light leaving through the pavilion. 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: For more light, a round: DG-Vitruvio Diamond returns 93 with far more sparkle.

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

Some light leaks through the back

Leakage 7 against 2 for the T73 Round Brilliant in diamond: 5 points higher

The kite loses 7% of its light out of the back, against 2% for the T73 in our census. With kites this steep, it is not light slipping past a shallow pavilion.

Dg-octagonal kite in diamond tilted 0 degrees: Light Return map, 3% of the face leaking — Each frame is the Light Return map with the stone tilted away from you by the angle shown; grey is light leaving through the pavilion. The share under each frame is that picture's own.

Dg-octagonal kite in diamond tilted 10 degrees: Light Return map, 6% of the face leaking — Each frame is the Light Return map with the stone tilted away from you by the angle shown; grey is light leaving through the pavilion. The share under each frame is that picture's own.

What helps: Steepening is not the fix: at 43.0° the pavilion is well above diamond's 38.9° guide minimum. The T105 Round Brilliant Diamond leaks 1%.

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

Smaller for its weight

Spread 96 against 100 for the T73 Round Brilliant in diamond: 4 points lower

At 70.0% deep, it carries a lot of stone below the girdle, so a stone of a given carat weight shows less face than a T73.

DG-Octagonal Kite · 6.04 mm at 1.00 ct · Spread 96

T73 Round Brilliant · 6.48 mm at 1.00 ct · Spread 100

Both stones weigh 1.00 ct in diamond and are drawn to the same scale, from each cut's own model. Spread is face-up size per carat: a deeper stone carries more weight below the girdle and looks smaller for its weight.

What helps: Compare by millimetres: a 6.5 mm DG-Octagonal Kite comes to 1.25 ct in diamond.

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

Who a DG-Octagonal Kite diamond suits

Choose DG-Octagonal Kite for a bold, symmetrical diamond that returns nearly a round's light, with broad flashes and a touch of extra fire. Of the fancy shapes we measure in diamond, it gives up the least light to the T73.

If you want fine sparkle, choose a round such as DG-Rafaello Diamond or the T73 Round Brilliant Diamond. For a square outline, the Square Cut Diamond; in emerald, the stone it was drawn for, see DG-Octagonal Kite Emerald.

DG-Octagonal Kite Diamond: questions

Is DG-Octagonal Kite a good cut for diamond?

For light and fire, yes: Brilliance 88 and Fire 82, against 93 and 78 for the T73. For fine sparkle, no: Scintillation 60.

Why was DG-Octagonal Kite drawn for emerald?

Emerald's critical angle is much larger than diamond's, so its pavilion facets must be steep to reflect head-on light. The kites stand clear of it, and in diamond they clear it easily.

How many facets does DG-Octagonal Kite have?

41, around a large octagonal table: a plan of few, large facets.

What does a 6.5 mm DG-Octagonal Kite diamond weigh?

1.25 ct: deep at 70.0%, it is heavy for its width.

Get the DG-Octagonal Kite Cut files

6 formatsMillimetresWatertight

DG-Octagonal Kite Cut 3D files

The DG-Octagonal Kite Cut as exact geometry: 41 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 modelling and rendering
FBXBlender, 3ds Max, Maya, Cinema 4D, Unity, Unreal
GLBWeb, AR and quick previews

€9.99 · Personal useBuy the 3D files

GemCad96 index

DG-Octagonal Kite Cut cutting files

The DG-Octagonal Kite Cut as a faceting design: 33 + 8 girdles = 41 facets, 96 index, 8-fold mirror-image symmetry, ready for the machine.

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

€9.99 · Personal useBuy the cutting files

Questions before you buy? Email us.

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DG-Octagonal Kite Diamond: a little more fire than the T73, from large, bold facets