The search for the perfect diamond can be quite the quest. There are so many different shapes and variations available that it can seem impossible to find one. Before shopping one should consider the 4Cs: clarity, color, carat, and cut. Out of these categories cut is probably the most misconstrued of these categories.

For some reason, many people believe that when one is talking about a diamond's cut they mean the diamond's shape. This is understandable considering the fact that the diamond's shape and size is affected by the way the diamond was cut. However, the diamond's cut refers to the diamonds appearance; the geometrical facets and symmetrical arrangements that you see on the diamond.

The diamond's cut is very significant; it is the primary factor behind the diamonds sparkle and fire. There are two primary factors of cut: polish and symmetry. Polish is the overall smoothness of the diamond and symmetry refers to how the geometrical alignment of the facets direct light into the diamond.

There are also two other factors that affect the diamond's cut: depth percentage and table percentage. These factors have more to do with a grading scale for diamonds. Depth perception has to do with the height/width ratio of the diamond. The table percentage of a diamond refers to the measurement of the diameter of the top of the stone and its relationship with diamonds overall width. As I stated a bit earlier in the paragraph, these factors have more to do the GIA's grading scale. The GIA stands for Gemological Institute of America and its rankings are: Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, and Poor.

There are a variety of cuts to choose from that create their own special sparkle or fire for a diamond such as mixed cuts, round brilliant cuts, and rose cuts; the fancier the design, the more expensive the product. When deciding on which diamond to purchase, it's probably a good idea to see at the cuts that are available. This will add a little bit of flair to your diamond.