Finding the perfect diamond for yourself or for someone you love can be an important task. There are so many different colors and sized diamonds available that it is a good idea to learn a little bit about them before you begin the shopping process. The 4 C's of diamonds are clarity, color, cut, and carat. These are the factors that a certified diamontologist will take into account when they grade or evaluate a diamonds value. Cut is a very important and often misunderstood classification.

Many people confuse a diamonds cut with a diamonds shape. This is a very common and easy mistake, and in all fairness they are in some ways related since the type of cut used is often necessitated by the diamonds shape and size. A diamonds cut refers to a, for the most part, symmetrical arrangement of facets that changes the diamonds appearance. A facet refers to a flat surface on a geometrical design. The cut is actually the only part of the grading process that is controlled by man.

Diamond cutting first was implemented during the middle ages where diamond cutters, using primitive tools, began sanding the sides of the diamonds to create a smooth unblemished surface. The cuts of the early 12th and 13th century were very primitive, usually consisting of only 8 or 12 facets. The point cut and later the table cut were two fairly popular cuts that were fairly easy to make. It was not until the middle of the 17th century that the first brilliant cuts were introduced. The Mazzarin cut is one cut made popular in the 17th century with 17 facets. Later in the 17th century a Venitian Diamond Cutter named Vincent Peruzzi, modified the Mazzarin cut to contain 33 facets and called it the Peruzzi Cut. Today through the use of laser and computer aided cutting devices the standard round brilliant cut diamond has 58 facets and some have well over 100 facets.

Choosing the proper cut for a diamond is incredibly important, because it is the cut that greatly affects a diamonds brilliance, sparkle, and fire. There are two other factors of cut polish and symmetry. Symmetry refers to the geometrical alignment of the facets which helps direct light through the diamond. Polish refers to the overall smoothness of the diamonds facets.

Grading a diamonds cut can be incredibly hard unless you are a certified diamontologist or you really know your diamonds. This is in part because of the intricate differences and subtleties involved, but also because there are many conflicting grading scales. The diamonds proportions, however, are what affects the diamonds grade. The two biggest factors that affect the diamonds cut are the depth percentage and the table percentage of the diamond. Depth percentage is the measurement of height vs. width ration of the diamond and the table percentage is the measurement of the diameter of the top of the stone and its relationship with the diamonds overall width. The GIA, Gemological Institute of America, grading scale involves rating a diamonds cut as: Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, and Poor.

There are many different types of cuts like rose cuts, mixed cuts, and round brilliant cuts. While a more intricate cut generally indicates a more expensive product, it still has a lot to do with personal preferences. It is a good idea to take a look at the cuts available and pick one that you find aesthetically pleasing.