Why should girdles not be too thin?

• A. They become more at risk to chipping
• B. They ruin color
• C. They change table diameter
• D. They affect fluorescence

Answer: (A)

Girdle thickness is all about durability. The girdle is the outer edge of the diamond, where it’s most likely to encounter impacts during setting and ordinary wear. If the girdle is too thin, that edge becomes fragile and can chip or crack more easily from handling, mounting, or light bumps. A thicker-enough girdle provides a protective margin that helps prevent damage that could propagate into the stone. Color, table diameter, and fluorescence are determined by other parts of the diamond and aren't influenced by how thin the girdle is, so thinning the girdle mainly raises the risk of edge damage rather than altering these other properties.