AGS Laboratories will begin issuing the Diamond Quality Document for the new American Gem Society performance cut-grade system on the square princess cut.

AGS now uses a performance-based cut-grade system, where all facets of a diamond are measured in three dimensions rather than two. The lab uses ray-tracing software to trace light traveling through a diamond. The software demonstrates the quantity and quality of the light being returned to the viewer. AGS Laboratories will now consider brightness, dispersion, leakage, contrast, and weight ratio, in addition to proportion, symmetry, and polish when assigning a final cut grade. For information, visit www.agslab.com.