One of the most important factors in determining quality in diamonds is the cut. Cut is the only value factor that is a result of human skill. A diamond's beauty must be balanced against the inevitable loss of weight necessitated by the very process of cutting. Along with the diamond's size and shape, the minute details of workmanship play an important role in the overall beauty and sparkle of the diamond.
The top diamond grading laboratories, AGSL and the GIA, approach the grading of diamond cut slightly differently.
GIA: The majority of all high-quality diamonds have grading reports from the GIA, which does not assign a grade to the diamond cut. Instead, the GIA lists the diamond's dimensions: the width of the table, the width of the diamond, and the depth of the diamond.
AGSL: The AGSL assigns cut grades of Ideal, Very Good, Good, Fair, and Poor. The AGSL labels a diamond that meets their standard of perfect proportions, polish, and symmetry as "Cut Grade: Ideal" and is known through the diamond industry as a "000" grade. These diamonds are highly sought after and are priced accordingly.
Online Diamond Retailers, like BlueNile, have tried to simplify the cut decision by melding both the GIA and AGSL guidelines into an easy to gauge rating from Poor to Signature Ideal:
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