When you set out to buy a diamond, you quickly notice that a branded diamond with the same 4 C’s costs more than its non-branded counterpart. So why is it important in some cases to buy the former? Cut is Supreme Each vendor sets itself apart in terms of quality, based on the cut parameters it retains in its branded diamonds. This should include parameters for both proportions and optical symmetry. Cut quality not only has a huge impact on the light performance of a 1 ct diamond engagement ring, but also makes it rarer. Virtual Diamonds Many non-branded diamonds get offered as ‘virtual diamonds’, meaning they aren’t owned by the seller. This means these diamonds can be sourced from among many different vendors. These may originally be poorly cut diamonds, which were hard to sell. Wholesale, diamonds, on the other hand, are offered directly from the manufacturer. Wholesale virtual diamonds usually have poorer cut quality compared to branded diamonds. If the retailer needs tighter specifications, the diamonds will be more expensive to cut. As long as the retailer only wishes to sell the best-cut diamonds, their inventory will come with a higher overall premium compared to vendors who are willing to make adjustments to their inventory.