DG-Bowtie Kunzite: more fire than the T73 in kunzite

Brilliance 16 · Fire 66 · Scintillation 86 · in our census, where the T73 scores 90 · 47 · 80 in kunzite

How the DG-Bowtie handles light in kunzite, measured: brilliance 16, fire 66 and 60% leakage, set against the T73 in the same stone and against the same cut in diamond.

The DG-Bowtie in kunzite, face-up Light Return map from our tracer at refractive index 1.66: red, green and blue show where the light returns from, gray shows where it leaks
Light Return map of the DG-Bowtie in kunzite, face-up, from our own tracer at refractive index 1.66. Red, green and blue return light to the eye; gray leaks.

DG-Bowtie Kunzite

Kunzite has a refractive index of 1.660 to 1.676 and a dispersion of 0.017. Its critical angle, from the low end of that range, is 37.0°, 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, 1.668, the midpoint of the published range, and a fire spread of 0.015, 0.86 of the published dispersion. Every picture here is our Light Return tracer at 1.660, and every figure is from the same light census that scores the other gemstones; the 3D Gemstone Simulator shows the DG-Bowtie in kunzite live.

The DG-Bowtie has 87 facets and a total depth of 93.8% of its width; its pavilion mains sit at 42.0°. In kunzite, the census returns 16 of 100 for brilliance and 66 for fire, against 90 and 47 for the T73, our benchmark, in the same stone; the same DG-Bowtie in diamond reads 27 and 82.

Is kunzite good in a DG-Bowtie? Pros and cons, measured

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

Performance wheel: DG-Bowtie in kunzite, against the T73 Round Brilliant in kunzite as an outline. Solid white marks where it reaches further, hatching where it falls short. The scores are listed below.50100Global−26Brilliance−74Fire+19Scintillation+6Spread−13Symmetry−6Shape-norm−78Tilt+6

Against the T73 Round Brilliant in kunzite: ahead on 3, behind on 5.

  • Global53, the comparison 79, difference −26
  • Brilliance16, the comparison 90, difference −74
  • Fire66, the comparison 47, difference +19
  • Scintillation86, the comparison 80, difference +6
  • Spread87, the comparison 100, difference −13
  • Symmetry94, the comparison 100, difference −6
  • Shape-norm19, the comparison 97, difference −78
  • Tilt80, the comparison 74, difference +6
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-Bowtie gains in kunzite

More fire than the T73 in kunzite

Fire 66 against 47 for the T73 Round Brilliant in kunzite: 19 points higher

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 (0.015 in kunzite) and counts a ray as fire when the two directions differ by more than 0.6°. The DG-Bowtie reads 66 against 47 for the T73 in kunzite. The figure is the census's; the 3D Gemstone Simulator renders kunzite'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-Bowtie in kunzite under the sunny-day lighting.

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

Lighter than the same cut in diamond

2.85 ct at 6.5 mm, against 3.16 ct for the same cut in diamond (−10%)

Weight follows specific gravity: 3.18 for kunzite against 3.52 for diamond, so the same model at the same size weighs 2.85 ct here and 3.16 ct in diamond, 6.5 mm across. Nothing about the light changes with it.

Kunzite2.85 ctDiamond3.16 ct
A DG-Bowtie 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-Bowtie page

More facets, more sparkle

Scintillation 86 against 80 for the T73 Round Brilliant in kunzite: 6 points higher

Scintillation follows the number of facets the stone shows: 100 × (1 − e^(−facets / 45)). The DG-Bowtie has 87 facets and the T73 73, so 86 against 80. It depends on the geometry alone, so it is the same in every stone.

DG-Bowtie · 87 facets · Scintillation 86

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-Bowtie gives up in kunzite

Returns less light than the T73 in kunzite

Brilliance 16 against 90 for the T73 Round Brilliant in kunzite: 74 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 kunzite, whose critical angle is 37.0°, the DG-Bowtie returns 16 of 100 and the T73 90. The DG-Bowtie's pavilion mains sit at 42.0°, the T73's at 40.8°. The maps below show where each stone's light returns from and where it leaks.

Dg-bowtie in kunzite face-up Light Return map: red, green and blue show where the light returns from, gray shows where it leaks (Brilliance 16)

DG-Bowtie in kunzite · Brilliance 16

T73 round brilliant in kunzite face-up Light Return map: red, green and blue show where the light returns from, gray shows where it leaks (Brilliance 90)

T73 Round Brilliant in kunzite · Brilliance 90

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-M5 reads 99 for brilliance in kunzite, 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 kunzite

Leakage 60 against 10 for the T73 Round Brilliant in kunzite: 50 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-Bowtie leaks 60% in kunzite against 10% for the T73 in kunzite. Grey in the maps below is leaking light; the share under each picture is that picture's own.

DG-Bowtie in kunzite · Leakage 60

Dg-bowtie in kunzite tilted 0 degrees: Light Return map, 59% of the face leaking0° · 59% leak
Dg-bowtie in kunzite tilted 10 degrees: Light Return map, 58% of the face leaking10° · 58% leak
Dg-bowtie in kunzite tilted 20 degrees: Light Return map, 67% of the face leaking20° · 67% leak
Dg-bowtie in kunzite tilted 30 degrees: Light Return map, 82% of the face leaking30° · 82% leak

T73 Round Brilliant in kunzite · Leakage 10

T73 round brilliant in kunzite tilted 0 degrees: Light Return map, 9% of the face leaking0° · 9% leak
T73 round brilliant in kunzite tilted 10 degrees: Light Return map, 23% of the face leaking10° · 23% leak
T73 round brilliant in kunzite tilted 20 degrees: Light Return map, 32% of the face leaking20° · 32% leak
T73 round brilliant in kunzite tilted 30 degrees: Light Return map, 34% of the face leaking30° · 34% 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-M5 reads 1% for leakage in kunzite, the best of the cuts we score there.

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

Faces up smaller for its weight

Face-up size 92 against 100 for the T73 Round Brilliant in kunzite (T73 = 100): 8% less face-up area for the same weight

Face-up size is the outline's area per carat, measured from each model (T73 = 100): 92 for the DG-Bowtie against 100 for the T73. The same volume spread over a longer or shallower outline shows more face for the weight; it is the same in every stone, because specific gravity scales every cut alike.

DG-Bowtie · 9.46 x 4.59 mm at 1.00 ct · Face-up size 92

T73 Round Brilliant · 6.70 mm at 1.00 ct · Face-up size 100

Both stones weigh 1.00 ct in kunzite and are drawn to the same scale in millimeters, from each cut's own model. Face-up size is the outline's area per carat, with the T73 at 100: a deeper stone, or a rounder outline, spreads less area for its weight.

What helps: the Marquise Cut reads 121 for face-up size in kunzite, the best of the cuts we score there.

Try it yourself: See its size at 1.00 ct in kunzite in the 3D Gemstone Simulator

A less regular pavilion than the T73

Symmetry 94 against 100 for the T73 Round Brilliant in kunzite: 6 points lower

Symmetry reads how evenly the pavilion facets of each design family are cut: 100 − 6 × their scatter in degrees. The DG-Bowtie reads 94, the T73 100. It depends on the geometry alone, so it is the same in every stone.

DG-Bowtie · 87 facets · Symmetry 94

T73 Round Brilliant · 73 facets · Symmetry 100

Symmetry scores how regular the pavilion facets are within the design. Compare how evenly the facets repeat around each pavilion. Drawn from each cut's own model.

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

Our verdict on the DG-Bowtie in kunzite

Pick the DG-Bowtie in kunzite for this: it shows more fire than the T73, weighs less than in diamond and has more facets to sparkle with. The catch: it returns less light than the T73, leaks more light than the T73, faces up smaller for its weight and has a less regular pavilion than the T73.

If that catch matters more to you, the DG-M5 reads 99 for brilliance in kunzite, 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-Bowtie model we traced.

DG-Bowtie Kunzite: questions

Is the DG-Bowtie a good cut for kunzite?

In our census the DG-Bowtie returns 16 of 100 for brilliance and 66 for fire in kunzite, against 90 and 47 for the T73 in the same stone. Against that round and against the same cut in diamond it has 3 pros and 4 cons by our thresholds; the summary above names them.

What pavilion angle does kunzite need?

At least 37.0° for a round design: kunzite's critical angle is 37.0°, 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-Bowtie's pavilion mains sit at 42.0°.

How much does a DG-Bowtie weigh in kunzite?

At 6.5 mm across, 2.85 ct in kunzite, against 3.16 ct for the same cut in diamond (-10%): kunzite's specific gravity is 3.18, diamond's 3.52.

Can I see the DG-Bowtie in kunzite in 3D?

Yes: the 3D Gemstone Simulator renders it live, with kunzite's own refractive index and dispersion. Kunzite 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-Bowtie Cut files

6 formatsMillimetersWatertight

DG-Bowtie Cut 3D files

The DG-Bowtie Cut as exact geometry: 87 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
GemCad64 index

DG-Bowtie Cut cutting files

The DG-Bowtie Cut as a faceting design: 67 + 20 girdles = 87 facets, 64 index, 2-fold mirror-image symmetry, ready for the machine.

  • .ascGemCad design file, 64 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

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

Other cuts in kunzite

The DG-Bowtie in other gemstones