Triple Excellent vs Very Good Cut: Is the Upgrade Worth It?

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Triple Excellent and Very Good sit one grade apart on the cut scale — but cut is the single biggest driver of how a diamond sparkles, so that one grade can be the difference between a stone that is alive and one that is merely fine. Here is exactly what separates them, whether the difference is visible, and when the upgrade is worth paying for.

Key takeaways

• Triple Excellent means Excellent polish and Excellent symmetry and an Excellent (ideal) cut grade — the top of the scale.
• Very Good is one step down: still bright, but returning slightly less light than an ideal stone.
• The gap is most visible on a round brilliant and under bright, direct light.
• Very Good can be a smart saving on some stones; on a hero centre diamond, Triple Excellent earns its keep.
• Montare sets Triple Excellent as the floor — never below it.

What the cut grades actually mean

Cut is graded on a scale from Excellent (or "Ideal") down through Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. It measures how well a diamond's proportions, symmetry and polish work together to return light to your eye. "Triple Excellent" is shorthand for a stone that earns the top mark in all three assessed areas — cut, polish and symmetry. "Very Good" typically means the cut grade, or one of the three, lands a single step below Excellent. For a fuller primer, see Triple Excellent cut, explained and how it ties back to table and depth.

One important note: a formal cut grade is assigned to round brilliants. Fancy shapes — ovals, emeralds, pears and the rest — are graded on polish and symmetry, with their proportions assessed separately, so "Triple Excellent" is clearest and most meaningful on a round.

Triple Excellent vs Very Good, side by side

	Very Good	Triple Excellent
Light return / brilliance	Strong	Maximum
Symmetry	Minor deviations	Excellent
Polish	Very good	Excellent
Fire & sparkle	Slightly softer	Crisp, lively
Typical price	Lower	Small premium
Best for	Side stones, budget-led builds	The centre diamond

Does the difference actually show?

Honestly, it depends on the stone and the setting. In a jewellery-store spotlight, a Triple Excellent round brilliant will out-sparkle a Very Good one — the light return is cleaner and the flashes are crisper. In everyday light the gap narrows, and a well-cut Very Good stone can look excellent. Where the difference reliably shows is at size: on a three-carat centre diamond there is simply more stone for the eye to read, so any softness in the cut is easier to notice. The bigger the diamond, the more cut quality matters.

When Very Good is fine — and when to insist on Triple Excellent

Very Good is a sensible choice for melee and side stones, where the centre carries the show, or on a tighter budget where size or clarity matter more to you than the last few percent of brilliance. But for the centre diamond — the one stone everyone actually looks at — Triple Excellent is where your money works hardest. Cut outranks colour, clarity and carat for sheer visual impact, and the premium over Very Good is usually modest next to the total ring. On a hero stone, it is the upgrade we would always make.

The Montare standard

That is why we do not offer anything below it. Every Montare centre diamond is Triple Excellent, with ideal table and depth for its shape — alongside D–E colour, VVS1–VVS2 clarity, a three-carat minimum, and IGI certification. The decision is made for you, in your favour.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Triple Excellent and Very Good cut?

Triple Excellent means a diamond earns the top grade for cut, polish and symmetry. Very Good is one step below in one or more of those areas — still bright, but returning slightly less light than an ideal stone.

Is Triple Excellent cut worth the extra money?

For the centre diamond, usually yes. Cut drives brilliance more than any other factor, the difference is most visible on a large stone, and the premium over Very Good is typically modest relative to the whole ring.

Can you see the difference between Very Good and Excellent cut?

Under bright, direct light and on a round brilliant, yes — a Triple Excellent stone sparkles more crisply. In everyday light the gap is smaller, but it becomes easier to see as carat size increases.

Does cut grade apply to fancy shapes?

A formal cut grade is assigned to round brilliants. Fancy shapes are graded on polish and symmetry with proportions assessed separately, so ideal table and depth ranges become the key measure of cut quality.

Every centre stone, Triple Excellent. Build a ring in the ring builder or book a consultation.