Diamond Shapes
Another point to consider while diamond shopping is the many shapes of diamonds. Consider both the look of the stone itself and how it will compliment a setting.
Shape is the form of a diamond and generally described from an aerial view.
10 Most Desirable Diamond Shapes include:
- Round
- Princess
- Emerald
- Asscher
- Radiant
- Cushion
- Oval
- Pear
- Heart
- Marquise
The shape of your diamond can show off its assets in a way that lets you get more for less, which is why it’s an important consideration in addition to the 4Cs.
Diamond Shapes
Round
The round cut diamond is overwhelmingly popular, representing 75% of all diamonds sold. Round cuts maximise light reflection for incredible shine.
Princess
Princess cut diamonds are the most popular of the fancy shaped cuts. They work well in most ring styles. In general, this style of cut has lower per carat pricing than round cut diamonds because of their shape and how jewellers can maximise yield with little waste after cutting.
Emerald
Emerald cut diamonds have a one-of-a-kind appearance. They present with a large, open table and step cuts which give the stone the reflective quality of many mirrors. Be aware when shopping for emerald cut diamonds that the shape can accentuate inclusions or flaws in the stone.
Asscher
Asscher cut is similar to an emerald cut but the shape is square. Otherwise, this shape shares characteristics of the emerald cut, like a pavilion cut with rectangular facets. This shape really shows off the clarity of diamonds. Because of this, it pairs best with the clearest stones of the highest colour grades.
Radiant
Radiant cut diamonds have trimmed corners and traditionally, come in rectangular shape, but they also have varieties that are square looking. This shape is a beautiful combination of the long, elegant shape of the emerald cut and the brilliance of the round cut.
Cushion
Not surprisingly, cushion cut stones look like a pillow- square with rounded corners. It is a classic style dating back nearly 200 years. It once surpassed the round cut as the most popular, which makes it a smart choice for vintage engagement rings.
Oval
Oval diamonds are similar in brightness to round cut, however oval cut stones benefit from a longer shape which creates the illusion of a larger size.
Pear
The pear shape is another modified brilliant-cut diamond. It looks like a blend of a round and marquise shape, but one end is pointed on a taper. The stone should be symmetric if it is of fine quality.
Heart
Heart shaped diamonds are an obvious choice for an engagement ring since both are symbols of love. Heart shapes look best with larger stones because the shape is more apparent. This shape is also well suited for diamonds with high colour grades. Stones with lower colour grades may stand out in this shape because it is less forgiving on the edges than some other shapes.
Marquise
This cut is football shaped. It’s a modified brilliant cut, but its long and narrow appearance makes the stone look bigger, just like in oval cuts. This cut has one of the largest surface areas of all diamond shapes. It’s a lovely shape that may cost less, too.