When a diamond is mined from the earth it is not in the form that you see it in once it has been placed inside jewelry. In order to achieve the impressive visual effects that we recognize, the gem must be crafted by a highly skilled individual who is referred to as a diamond cutter. To carve the stone in the right way, the cutter makes use of a diamond cut, which is a guide that shows them precisely how the stone must be shaped to achieve the basic cuts of diamonds or other gems, such as the Round Brilliant, Rose Cut or Heart Cut. Each of these cuts is done a different way to achieve a unique effect for the stone and give it its own individual character that will vary depending upon it’s carat count, color, clarity and other factors. No two diamonds will ever be exactly alike even if they are precisely the same cut.

Since symmetry and proportions of a stone’s cut are so crucial to its value, the stone cutter must know exactly what he or she is doing. The wrong diamond cut can greatly reduce the value of an otherwise highly valuable diamond. The polish is part of the cutting process and this, too, will help give a diamond the brilliance it is known for. The cuts themselves have all been designed to take the best advantage of any given diamond’s full potential in order to create a gem of the highest possible value. When they are choosing the proper cut, the craftsmen look at the size and shape of the diamond to consider the number of facets that could be properly achieved with the stone.

While diamonds have been cut since medieval times, it would not be until fairly recent times that theory about the best possible diamond cut for each type of stone would arise. In our modern era we have access to lasers and other tools that can greatly reduce the wasted bits of diamond that plagued gems from long ago eras. Using this theory, diamond cutters can achieve the maximum from the stones they set out to carve and use mathematics to create a remarkable gem anyone would be pleased to own.

There are a great many ways to cut a diamond, but for those who want the most modern diamond cut, then there is no substitute for the world famous Round Brilliant Cut. This particular style creates the maximum number of facets and is the most difficult to properly perform, but the end result is a truly stunning diamond. Other cuts of note are:

The Trielle
A patented cut from Trillion diamonds that is designed to appear bigger than it actually is

The Quadrillion
A patented square shaped diamond that is cut in such a way that 49 facets on the stone create an effect at its center that resembles a star pattern

 The Crisscut
A patented cut by Christopher Designs that uses criss-crossing facets which improve the diamond’s brilliance.

The Rose Cut, an older cut that makes the diamond resemble its namesake flower; The Old Mine Cut, featuring a high table on a square shaped gem with rounded corners

The Asscher Cut
An emerald shaped cut that is squared to resemble an octagon’s shape; and a host of other cuts that incorporate different shapes by using facets.

There is much to learn about the intricacies of the diamond cut, so one who wishes to become an expert certainly has a long, but fulfilling road ahead of them.