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The value and attractiveness of a diamond is measured by its attributes contained by the four essential diamond features of Cut | Color | Clarity and Carat weight. If you have a basic understanding of these four qualities, you will know enough to make intelligent choices in the significant process of buying a diamond.

Cut describes the geometric relationship of a diamond's facets, which in turn supplies its luster and brilliance.
Color in a diamond is indicated by a scale from D to Z that renders a colorless (D) diamond to be more valuable and desirable than one with a higher indication of yellowish coloration.
Clarity is a calculation of the number and type of natural blemishes found in a diamond.
Carat is a measure of a diamond's weight. It is not a description of size.

Diamond Grading, or the summary of these qualities, determines a diamond's price. Of the four, only Cut is subject to human intervention, and perhaps is the most important, since, all other features being equal, the quality of a diamond's cut can enhance or moderate a rough diamond's natural potential.

Cut

If a diamond is poorly cut, no amount of good color and clarity can make up for it. That's why a diamond's cut and proportions are pre-eminently significant. It is what makes a rough stone sparkle and shine; what transforms it into a dazzling gem.
A diamond's facets, or flat planes on the stone, as they have been cut and polished will realize the amount of light that refracts through the diamond. Therefore the better the cut, the finer the luminescence.

The following terms apply to parts of a faceted diamond, and will help in describing an ideal cut versus ones that are either too deep or too shallow. (Non-faceted stones are called cabochons.)

Crown	The top part of the diamond.
Girdle	The edge or border of the diamond.
Pavilion	The bottom part of the diamond, measured from the girdle to the bottom point.
Culet	The lowest point of the diamond. In certain stones, this may be partially open.
Table	The flat top of the diamond, and its largest facet. Also called the face.
Table Spread	The width of the table facet, often given as a percentage of the total width of the diamond.

There are several ways that a diamond may appear to be improperly cut:

	If the table is centered but not symmetrical
	When the table is off-center and asymmetrical
	If the crown is too shallow (extremely thin)
	When the crown is too heavy (extremely thick)
	If the pavilion is too shallow
	When the pavilion is too deep

(Diamond Shapes and Color)

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