When you are seeking that perfect gift, such as a diamond engagement ring that expresses your true feelings, you need to think about the cut of the diamond. The cut of a diamond refers to angles and proportions of the diamond when it is being transformed from a rough diamond into a polished one. This is done by skilled craftsman and the cutter must polish facets, which are tiny surfaces, onto the diamond.

The cut refers to two different aspects of the diamond's appearance; it refers to the shape and the quality of the workmanship. Diamonds come in different shapes including Round, Pear, Heart, and Oval. There are also shapes called Marquise, Princess and Radiant. The round which is also called brilliant is the most common shape. All other shapes besides the round are considered fancy shape diamonds.

Now the next step is to decide is which grade of diamond you want for that special ring. If you want the best grade of diamond and you are not worried about the cost. An Ideal Cut would be for you. A Very Good Cut will reflect most of the light that enters the stone and you will get both quality and beauty. A Good Cut is still a good quality diamond, but it will not have as much brilliance. This cut is considerable less expensive than the other cuts mentioned.

The Fair & Poor Cut do not reflect enough light and are usually either too shallow or too deep to meet the standards of a Good Cut. Most reputable jewelry stores usually do not carry the Fair & Poor Cut. You will usually these types of stones in discounted jewelry stores or in promotional jewelry.

The next decision is the diamond color. You are not actually looking for a color, in diamonds you are looking for colorless qualities. The closer to colorless or white a diamond is the rarer and more expensive it will be. When grading a diamond's color an alphabet scale is used. The letter “D” represents the highest quality and the darker colored diamonds letters K-Z look very nice in a gold setting.

The clarity of a diamond refers to any internal or external flaws that are present and can be in the form of a blemish, scratch or air bubble. The categories start with F, which stands for flawless, and then the categories go down from there. If you are want to maximize the size and still want it to be affordable you can look at SI1 or SI2 which can have flaws but are not really visible to the naked eye.

The last decision to make is the carat weight. It is sometimes confused with the size but is actually has to do with the diamonds weight. The price of a diamond is closely tied to what the carat weight of the diamond is. You have to decide whether the size or the quality of the diamond is more important. The carat weight of the diamond you pick will also be decided by your budget.

Now you know why the diamond cut is so important. You will now be able to pick out the ring that both suits your wallet and is the perfect one for your loved one.