Today, diamonds come in many more shapes than the traditional cuts we once knew. Each shape possesses its own set of unique qualities and characteristics. We’re here to walk you through the various diamond cuts and shapes, so you can find the perfect diamond.
Picking a diamond cut can often be a daunting task, whether it’s picking your own treasured design or choosing an engagement ring to symbolize the love you have for your partner. With the right knowledge, you can not only choose the diamond of your dreams, but also a cut that best fits your personality.
Round Brilliant Cut Diamonds
The round diamond, also known as a brilliant cut, accounts for over two-thirds of diamonds sold. Making it the most popular shape for diamond engagement rings on the market today. In order for a stone to be deemed a brilliant cut diamond, it has to have 57 facets, 33 on the crown and 25 on the pavilion, giving the diamond that exceptional brilliance and sparkle.
Asscher Cut Diamonds
Asscher cut diamonds, also known as the “square emerald cut” is made using a step-cut process and is distinguished by its cropped corners. Due to its cropped corners, the Asscher cut appears as almost octagonal in shape. The Asscher is bright, shiny, and clear in appearance. Almost smooth-seeming. Similar to the emerald cut, they have a clarity of glacier-water ice, allowing you to see all the way through. Since this cut is more delicate and clean, it is imperative to purchase a cut that is as flawless as possible.
Cushion Cut Diamonds
The cushion cut is an antique cut with a romantic, classic appeal. Just like round, the cushion cut contains 58 facets. It is considered to be a cross between the old mine cut (popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries) and a modern oval cut. Because cushion cut diamonds evolved from this ancient diamond shape, they’re thought of as a vintage style.
Oval Cut Diamonds
The oval cut diamond is a modified version of the popular round brilliant. It is the perfect choice for buyers who are looking for characteristics similar to the round cut, but would like a design or shape that is more unusual. The cut creates an optical illusion of length, elegantly elongating the finger. It is for the classic, yet unconventional soul.
Emerald Cut Diamonds
The emerald cut is best known for its beauty and precision, obtaining its name from the cut’s traditional use on emerald stones. An emerald cut flaunts an elongated, rectangular shape and chiseled step cuts, with straight linear facets, usually arranged parallelly down the stone. Just like the asscher, it has the quality of looking into pure glacier ice.
Marquise Cut Diamonds
Known for its long and narrow pointed shape, the marquis cut is essentially a modified brilliant diamond. The diamond cutter maximizes the carat weight of the gem by elongating it into its distinctive boat shape, and as a result it appears larger than it actually is.Particularly with this cut, the most important qualities to look for are in its clarity and color. Due to its shape, imperfections of clarity and color are more obvious than with the Round, Brilliant cut.
Heart Cut Diamonds
With its cleft top and rounded edges, a heart shaped diamond exhibits superior brilliance. The heart diamond is a profound symbol of love, among the most romantic of the diamond shapes. When selecting the perfect heart shape, symmetry is important. The halves of the heart should be identical, with the split between the two lobes being sharp and precise, and its wings perfectly rounded. Generally, when buying a heart shaped diamond, size is important, you want to select a diamond of at least 0.5 carats. Although the cut of the diamond may make the size appear smaller, it certainly makes up for it in romance and brilliance.
Pear Cut Diamonds
The pear cut combines the tradition and brilliance of a round diamond, but with an unconventional and elongated shape. The pear shaped diamond should have one rounded and one pointed end, a perfect blend of a marquise and conventional round diamond. Often referred to as a teardrop, this cut usually contains 58 facets, giving it a distinctive sparkle.
Princess Cut Diamonds
The princess cut, with its feminine brilliance and delicate clarity makes a perfect center stone to any engagement ring. The shape is both familiar and exotic and is designed to get maximum brilliance from their square cut. One thing to consider when purchasing a princess cut is its setting, this is because all four pointed corners should be protected.
Radiant Cut Diamonds
Created in 1977 by Henry Grossbard, radiant cut diamonds combine the silhouette of an emerald cut with the brilliance of a round cut, creating a brilliant, yet non-traditional, diamond. Boasting 70 facets, the radiant cut exhibits a highly sought after modern and sophisticated look.
Trilliant Cut Diamond
The trilliant cut is best known for its distinctive triangle shape. A Trilliant cut diamond has 3 equal sizes, slightly curved soft or straight edged sides, and a flat table at its surface. This style is one of the more contemporary styles and will have a larger carat appearance than the traditional round cut diamond, however it is unable to maintain the same brilliance as the stone is generally more shallow.
Baguette Cut Diamond
The Baguette cut diamond is traditionally long and rectangular in shape, but can also be square or tapered. The baguette gets this tapered shape due to the same step-cut process as the emerald and asscher cuts. The baguette usually has approximately 14 facets as opposed to 58, meaning it does not have the same sparkle as the round, but offers a quality of delicate clarity and soft femininity making this cut a classic among fancy cut shapes.
When choosing the right cut for you, it’s important to remember there are no rules, each diamond possesses its own unique beauty and characteristics. If you still need help deciding what diamond cut best speaks to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to us!
