Severe symmetry variations can be obvious to a viewer under what conditions?

• A. Only when the diamond is extremely out-of-round
• B. When the diamond is very out-of-round or has a non-octagonal table.
• C. They are never obvious
• D. They are always obvious regardless of shape

Answer: (B)

Symmetry issues are easiest to spot when the stone’s overall shape or its top geometry disrupts the way the facets align around the center. If a diamond is very out-of-round, the silhouette and the reflected light don’t line up around the culet and table, so misaligned facets become visually obvious. Likewise, a table that isn’t the expected octagonal shape breaks the regular pattern of facet boundaries seen from above, making any asymmetry easier to notice. In contrast, a well-proportioned, regularly shaped stone with a properly shaped table can conceal smaller symmetry variations, so severe symmetry flaws aren’t always obvious.