The first thing you should know about diamond culet is how to pronounce the word. It is actually pronounced as “cue-let,” which is a departure from what most people think. The culet is the small area at the base of a diamond’s pavilion. Whether the pavilion comes to a point or ends with a tiny facet, this area is called the culet.

What to Look for in a Diamond Culet

Many years ago, large culets were the norm. They were typical in the popular Old European Cut and Old Miner’s Cut diamonds. Today, we’d rather not see the culet because it can detract from the diamond’s beauty. A diamond with a listing of Medium culet or smaller means that the culet is mostly invisible to the naked eye and has no impact on the diamond’s appearance. If the culet is listed as Slightly Large or Larger, it may indicate a problem with the diamond’s brilliance. A diamond with a large culet may allow light from the crown to escape through the bottom of the stone. Another issue with a large culet is that it may look like an inclusion when viewed from the top. Culets that are too small can also pose an issue because the point makes the diamond more susceptible to breakage as it is set. If the culet were to break, it would create the same problems as an extremely large culet. Look for a culet that is Very Small or Small.

Culet Ratings

Below are the ratings applied to a diamond's culet:

• None (Pointed), Very Small, Small: Ideal; not visible to the naked eye
• Medium: Very Good; not visually ideal, but very good
• Slightly Large, Large: May affect the diamond’s appearance
• Very Large: Will probably affect the diamond’s appearance
• Extremely Large: Will most certainly affect the diamond’s appearance