This is a quick "How To" Diamond blog, part of a series of articles that will help you become better at measuring and estimating carat in Diamonds. This method works great for loose or mounted diamonds. (mounted settings might be a little tricky)
You will need:
A Diamond's Average Girdle Diameter (Calculate Here)
A Round Diamond or Gemstone to measure
Tweezers (for loose diamonds)
Table Gauge (Check my recommendations at bottom of the page)
Pen and Paper for Notes
Calculator or your mobile phone
Once you know the diamond’s average girdle diameter (Check out this Blog if you don't have it), you can determine its table percentage in several methods. The most accurate one is the Direct Measurement
Direct Measurement
The direct table measurement method is very accurate for mounted and loose diamonds. To measure the table, first, you will need a table gauge. (Not many of them around, I found mine on the GIA Store)
It’s easier if you can position the Diamond on a stone holder or something with a V shape to sink the pavilion, so the Diamond sits flush. Press the table gauge against Diamond’s table to keep the stone as steady as possible.
Measure the table facet from the corner to the opposite corner. A round brilliant Diamond has eight table corners, so you have to measure it in four directions.
Measure the four measurements to the nearest five-hundredths of a millimetre and divide the total by four to find the average.
This is the number you use to calculate Diamond’s table percentage.
For an Example:
If the four table measurements are 3.00, 3.05, 3.05, and 3.00, then
The Average Table Diameter equals to (3.00 + 3.05 + 3.05 + 3.00) ÷ 4 = 12.10 ÷ 4 = 3.025
After calculating this, divide this result—the Average Table Diameter—by the Average Girdle Diameter and multiply by 100.
Then round it off to the nearest percentage.
For an Example:
If the Average Table Diameter = 3.025 mm, and the average
girdle diameter = 4.333 mm, then
Table percentage = (3.025 ÷ 4.333) × 100
= 0.6981 × 100 = 69.81, round it to 70%
And you've got it. It's that simple
Here are my recommendations on Tools for measuring Table Gauge in Diamond and Gemstones
I love this. It's one of those tools that you might not need it daily but it's great to have it just in case.
Find yours on the GIA Store HERE
Price: $21.95
This is a tool that you only buy once in your career.
That's it for the Measuring Table Percentage in Diamonds and Gemstones Total Depth Percentage in a Round Brilliant cut Diamond. Thank you so much for reading my blog, keep an eye out for the rest of the "How To" educational blogs
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