Many people confuse cut with the shape of the diamond. The cut of a diamond refers to its proportions. Of the 4C's, the cut is the aspect most directly influenced by man. The other three are dictated by nature.

The shape you select is a matter of individual taste, and today your choice is only limited by the skill and imagination of the craftsman. It is their efforts during every stage of the fashioning process that reflects the maximum amount of light back to the eye. Diamonds are cut into various shapes depending upon the original form of the uncut diamond, which is referred to as "rough." Whatever the shape, a well-cut diamond is better able to reflect light. Most round, brilliant-cut or fancy-shaped diamonds possess 58 carefully angled flat surfaces, called facets. It is the precision of each facet's placement that will a ffect the amount of fire, brilliance and ultimate beauty of your diamond.