When buying a diamond, it is important to remember that shape and cut do not mean the same thing.  The shape of a diamond is what it looks like, it can be shaped round, square but that does not mean it is a round or square cut.

Diamond cut represents many different aspects of diamonds that are used in jewelry.  A good diamond cut can turn an ordinary rock to a brilliant diamond.  When the diamond is cut right, it seems to shine from the middle of the stone.  The cut should also be perfectly symmetrical, smooth and very reflective.

Light is what gives a diamond the sparkle effect.  When diamonds are cut right, they are made to reflect all incoming light back out making the jewelry sparkle.  A perfect diamond will not allow any light to escape unless it is out of the eye or the part of the diamond most seen.  Many calculations have been made to find the perfect cut of a diamond which allows for the most sparkle and the best mesmerizing effect.

There are many popular cuts of diamonds including princess and round cut which are among the most popularly requested diamond cuts.

Round cut diamonds are very common in rings.  It has a perfect symmetrical shape which results in brilliant light reflecting.  They are not only used in rings but in earrings and necklaces as well because of their incomparable light reflecting qualities.  This cut of diamond has been used for many years and remains the most popular.

Princess is another very popular cut of diamond popular with solitary stone settings.  They have a square shape to them which makes them a more modern style cut with sleek sharp edges.  They are more recent than round diamond cuts as they have been around for only thirty years.

Marquis and pear cut diamonds are very similar.  Marquis diamonds are an elongated shape with tips at each of the long ends.  Pear cut has the same elongated shape but only has one tip or point.  Both make the diamond appear to be larger drawing the eye down to the tips of the stone.  These diamond cuts also add an impression of length to whatever they are placed upon whether it be a finger or an ear.

Used most commonly as a solitary stone, emerald cuts are among the more popular diamond cuts after princess cut.  These are a rounded square shape which allows for a clear view inside of the stone which means a very high quality diamond must be used.

There are other diamond cuts including heart cut diamonds and radiant cut diamonds among others.  It is a good idea to look at many different cuts of diamonds before choosing one that’s right for you.

Diamond cuts have been given different grades depending on the quality of the cut.  Each cut is given a grade based on many specific calculations and judging how much of the diamond was used to produce a perfect cut.

An ideal cut diamond is made to allow for the greatest brilliance in each diamond.  These diamonds are of the utmost quality.  Ideal cut diamonds apply only to round or round brilliant diamonds which are the most popular.

Premium cut diamonds are considered to be equal to ideal cuts but have lover prices attached to them.  These, along with ideal cut diamonds, are top of the line.

Diamonds that are cut Very Good have been made to reflect a large amount of light but have lost some of the specifically calculate proportions while cutting allowing for a bigger diamond with a loss of quality.

Good diamonds are also cut to reflect as much of the light as possible but some care has been lost allowing for minimal light to escape both out of the sides and back of the stone.  These diamonds have been cut to allow for the biggest diamond possible but doing so have used more of the rough diamond instead of trimming it down to a completely pure form.

If a diamond has been rated fair or poor, it is not reflecting light and may have been cut uneven without attention to detail.  These diamonds are usually allowing for maximum size but lacking almost all quality.