When choosing a diamond, there are some diamond cuts that make a better value than others. The nature of diamond cuts means that more diamond must be used to achieve some of the shapes and facets.

The heart-shaped cut requires a larger diamond to achieve the shape than buying a more simply shaped square cut. By buying a heart-shaped diamond, you are paying for not only the diamond but for the amount of diamond that was cut away and is now unusable as a larger diamond. The diamond chips that result are much less valuable, and that will be reflected in the retail price of the larger heart shape. A square cut diamond gives you much closer to the full caret weight of the diamond you are choosing. This means that for the price you pay, you will get more diamond than with more unusual shapes.

One shape that can be disproportionately expensive is the brilliant cut diamond. This shape looks round, but it has so many facets that much be placed in precisely the correct position that the shape is quote labor intensive. This raises the overall price of the diamond. Shapes such as the emerald cut require little less labor and may be a better value than the brilliant cut diamond.

The value of a diamond is often calculated by its size. By choosing a diamond cut that utilizes much of the diamond’s original size and requires less labor than the fancier cuts, a better value can be had.