While it may not be part of the 4 C’s (though is often confused with Cut), diamond shape plays a starring role alongside them in the appearance of your diamond. Shape of a diamond can affect light reflection (and therefore sparkle), visibility of color or clarity flaws, and appearance of the hand on which the diamond is worn. Certain shapes evoke a vintage or a modern feel, especially as fancy cuts gain popularity and classic designs re-emerge. Like each of the 4 C’s, shape is a key factor in diamond price – the more rough stone required (and cut away) per carat, the higher the value of the finished diamond.
We’ve put together a guide to some of the most popular diamond shapes below. Read on to find out which diamond best expresses your personal style and discover the unique personality of each:
ROUND BRILLIANT
Accounting for half of all diamond sales, the round brilliant cut remains the most popular shape with good reason: over a century of research has gone into perfecting its distinctive sparkle. The 57-58 facets of a quality round cut are carefully angled to maximize fire and brilliance when reflecting light. As such the quality of your cut, already considered the most important of the 4 C’s by many, takes on even greater weight when choosing a round diamond. To achieve the unique light effects of a round brilliant cut diamond, significant amounts of rough stone must be cut away. A round diamond will, as a result, cost more per carat than a comparable stone of a less complex shape.
PRINCESS
The versatile princess shape is the second most popular choice among diamond buyers. Similar in brilliance to a round cut, the square princess cut emphasizes the diamond’s color, especially in its corners. Longer, rectangular princess cuts exist alongside their square cousins, though are less common.
When buying princess-cut diamond jewelry, be sure the four corners are securely set and protected to minimize chipping.
EMERALD
Contrasting the sparkling effect of a brilliant cut, the clean, parallel lines of an emerald-cut diamond give it a unique appearance among other stone shapes. The look is achieved by “step cuts”, so named for their stair-step appearance. Clarity takes on special importance in these diamonds, as this “clean” appearance makes inclusions easier to spot.
RADIANT
Like an emerald cut diamond, radiant cut stones feature long parallel edges and trimmed corners. Its complex pattern of 70 facets, however, more closely resembles other brilliant cuts, to a similar sparkling effect. The shape of a radiant diamond also makes it a popular choice for pairing with round, princess, or other accent stones.
As with round brilliant diamonds, the complexity of the radiant cut requires more rough stone than other same-weight stones, similarly driving up the cost per carat.
OVAL
For those who prefer the brilliance of a round diamond in a more unique shape, the oval brilliant cut gives the hand and fingers the illusion of length and slenderness. Oval diamonds are typically set in wider bands to balance their length, and are popular choices for halo settings as well as center stones with side accents.
MARQUISE
These distinctive, eye-shaped diamonds give the hand and fingers a similar long and slender effect to oval cut diamonds, and themselves give the illusion of greater size per carat weight. Another brilliant cut, the marquise diamond reflects a dazzling array of light while hiding minor imperfections.
Symmetry (or lack thereof) will considerably influence a marquise diamond’s appearance as well, so be sure to choose a stone with well-aligned points.
PEAR
Combining the rounded end and pointed tip of the oval and marquise shapes, the pear cut diamond likewise creates the illusion of length when worn on the hand, but with a softer, more feminine appearance. Resembling a pure drop of water, the pear shape is sometimes referred to as a “teardrop”. The greater the symmetry of your pear cut, the more dynamic its light reflections will be.
CUSHION
The rounded cushion or “pillow” cut is making great strides in popularity due to its vintage feel and range of variations. The simplest (antique) cushion cuts contain the fewest and deepest facets, originating in a time of limited diamond-cutting technology. The brilliant and modified brilliant cushion cuts evoke the sparkle of other brilliant-cut stones while staying true to the cushion cut’s historical roots in early-era fashion. Most notably, the famous Hope Diamond is an antique cushion cut diamond.
ASSCHER
Another vintage cut and a rising star in celebrity fashion, the asscher cut shares the parallel step-cut lines of the emerald cut in a square shape. The depth of the cut creates more sparkle than its emerald cousin while keeping its “clean” geometric look. As with emerald cuts, clarity is paramount when choosing an asscher diamond, though inclusions near the step cuts may be less visible.
TRILLION (TRILLIANT)
The three-sided trillion cut is another great choice for anyone seeking a little different look for their engagement ring or accessory. You’ll recognize this brilliant cut by its triangular shape and slightly rounded edges, a striking combination of sharp and soft features. Like the marquise cut, the trillion gives the impression of greater size per carat, owing to the shallow depth and therefore greater surface area of the cut. Like other cuts that feature pointed tips, the trillion’s corners should be protected by secure prongs to prevent chipping.
HEART
Surprisingly rare due to the difficulty of obtaining a quality cut, the heart cut diamond combines the sharp/curved contrast of a pear cut diamond with the rounded look of a cushion cut in a classic symbol of romance. Seen most typically in Claddagh rings, heart diamonds have a smaller appearance per carat weight and are at their most striking in balance and fullness in more symmetrical cuts.
BAGUETTE
At first glance, it may be tempting to confuse the baguette cut with the emerald due to its rectangular profile and step cut. Looking closer reveals a few key differences: baguette diamonds are cut with a simpler pattern of 14 facets vs. the emerald cut’s 50-58, along with fully squared (rather than trimmed) corners. These diamonds are popular as accent stones and are frequently used in channel settings.
The shape you choose for your diamond will play a large part in how it expresses your unique personality, so we hope this introductory guide has helped make that decision a little easier! As always, feel free to contact us with any additional questions you have about choosing your diamond.