DIAMOND SHAPES

UNDERSTANDING SHAPE

In order to select your perfect diamond engagement ring, it can be helpful to understand the difference between diamond shape and diamond cut: two properties which are often confused.

The diamond shape refers to the outline shape of the diamond as you look at it from the top down. Round, oval, princess, emerald, marquise, pear, cushion, asscher, and radient are all shapes. When selecting the perfect shape for your diamond engagement ring several factors can guide you: The ring style you covet, your partner’s finger shape, or simply the design that captures your heart.

The cut of a diamond is one of the 4Cs of diamond quality, along with clarity, color, and carat. It does not refer to the diamond’s shape but rather, its proportions, symmetry and how well it has been cut and polished. In turn, these affect how much light the diamond emits, which will determine the degree to which it sparkles. The different types of light reflection are referred to as brilliance, fire (flashes of color), and scintillation (how light reflects with movement).

For now, let’s look at some of the most popular diamond shapes from which you may choose.

ROUND

The round diamond is the most popular diamond shape, representing approximately 75 percent of all diamonds sold. Due to the mechanics of its shape, the round diamond is generally superior to fancy shapes at the proper reflection of light, maximizing potential brightness.

OVAL

Because the oval diamond is a modified brilliant shape (like virtually all round diamonds), it possess a fire and brilliance similar to round diamonds.

PRINCESS

The princess diamond is the most popular fancy diamond shape, especially for engagement rings. Like round diamonds, princess diamonds are a good choice for their flexibility in working in almost any style of ring.

EMERALD

The unique look of the emerald diamond is due to the step cuts of its pavilion and its large, open table. Instead of the sparkle of a brilliant, emerald diamonds produce a hall-of-mirrors effect, with the interplay of light and dark planes.

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MARQUISE

The marquise diamond is a football-shaped, modified brilliant shape. Carat for carat, the marquise diamond has one of the largest surface areas of any diamond shape, making it a good choice when trying to maximize perceived size.

PEAR

The modified brilliant pear-shaped diamond is a combination of a round and a marquise shape, with a tapered point on one end.

CUSHION

The cushion shape diamond combines a square shape with rounded corners. This classic shape has been around for almost 200 years, and for the first century of its existence was the most popular diamond shape. Refinements in cut have led to a recent resurgence in popularity.

ASSCHER

The asscher diamond is similar to the emerald, but in a square shape with larger step facets, a higher crown, and a smaller table. This combination often produces more brilliance than the emerald shape.

RADIANT

The radiant shape diamond is the first rectangular shape to have a complete brilliant facet pattern applied to both the crown and pavilion, creating a vibrant and lively diamond.

Asscher diamond engagement ring, surrounded by round diamonds.

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Emerald diamond engagement ring, surrounded by baguette diamonds.

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