Diamond Shapes
When selecting a diamond engagement ring, your first step is to select a diamond shape. Diamonds are offered in many different shapes and forms. Every diamond has a different aesthetic appearance, charm and personality all its own. A diamond’s shape refers to its physical form, and if it has an unusual shape like a heart-shape or a pear-shape, that may be one of the most noticeable things about it.
Below is an introduction to the ten most popular diamond shapes:
Round Diamonds
The round cut diamond is the most commonly chosen and popular diamond shape. The round diamond represents approximately 75% of all diamonds sold for engagement rings. Due to the mechanics of its shape, the round diamond is more brilliant and fiery than other diamond cuts, maximizing potential brightness. When all else is equal, round cut diamonds are more valuable than alternative shapes.
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Cushion Cut Diamonds
The cushion cut diamond combines a square diamond with round diamond. This creates a squareish diamond with soft rounded corners – much like a pillow (hence the name). First introduced over 200 years ago, the cushion cut diamond is rich with diamond history. Although it’s considered more vintage in style, technical advancements in cutting and polishing have led to a recent resurgence in popularity.
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Oval Diamonds
Because the oval diamond is a brilliant-cut, similar to round cut diamonds, the two diamond shapes emits the same fire and brilliance. However, oval cut diamonds have the added advantage of an elongated shape which can create a larger looking diamond on the finger. Oval diamonds can lean both modern and vintage in style and work with virtually any setting style.
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Princess Cut Diamonds
The princess cut diamond is a perfectly square stone with 90-degree corners. The princess diamond was first created in the early 80s and is the second most popular shape for engagement rings in Dallas. Like round diamonds, princess cut diamonds are a good choice for working in virtually any ring style. The most desirable princess diamonds are perfectly square in shape, with the more rectangular variations decreasing in value.
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Pear Shaped Diamonds
The pear shaped diamond eludes the ultimate in elegance and glamour. The stone is also known as the drop cut or teardrop diamond is a combination of a round and a marquise shape, with a tapered point on one end and a rounded edge on the other. Due to its elongated shape, the pear shape can appear up to twice as big as a round diamond of equal carat weight.
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Emerald Cut Diamonds
Emerald cut diamonds are rectangular in shape and include step-cut faceting. This unique faceting creates a unique pattern and delivers a large, open table. Instead of the sparkle of a brilliant-cut, emerald cut diamonds produce a hall-of-mirrors effect. The beauty of the emerald cut diamond exists within the interplay of light and dark planes. Often, inclusions or body color are easier to see in an emerald cut diamond, requiring a higher level of clarity on emerald cut diamonds.
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Asscher Cut Diamonds
The asscher cut diamond is a forerunner to the emerald cut. The asscher cut diamond shape utilizes many of the same cutting techniques as the emerald cut, but includes square shape cuts with larger step facets with a smaller table. This often produces more brilliance than the emerald cut. Asscher diamonds are set apart are their uniquely angled and cropped corners, which create a very glamourous appearance.
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Radiant Cut Diamonds
The radiant cut diamond is a rectangular cut with brilliant faceting – similar to a round diamond. Relatively new to the jewelry industry, radiant diamonds were introduced a little more than 20 years ago. The radiant cut is a nice bridge between a cushion cut and a princess cut, and for that reason looks stunning set with either round diamonds or square diamonds. As the name suggests, radiant diamonds tend to emit a vibrant, sparkling and fiery glow.
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Marquise Diamonds
The marquise cut diamond is an elongated football-shaped stone with a brilliant cut. The diamond has gracefully pointed ends for a dramatically beautiful appeal. The cut was developed for King Louis XIV of France, who wanted a diamond shaped after the smile of his lover, Marquise de Pompadour. Because the marquise diamond is long and narrow, it creates the illusion of greater size. This diamond has one of the largest surface areas of any diamond shape — making it a good choice when looking for a large visual size diamond.
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Heart Shaped Diamonds
The heart shaped diamond is the unmistakable shape of love and has become synonymous with romance and affection. For this reason, this diamond shape sometime chosen for engagement rings for the most romantic of brides. Heart cuts are one of the most demanding diamond shapes to polish and requires great skill and dexterity from the cutter. Heart shaped diamonds over 1.00 carats in size are recommended, since the heart shape is more difficult to perceive in smaller diamonds – especially after they are set in prongs.