Diamond Cuts

The Difference Between Diamond Cuts and Diamond Shapes
and How They Relate to Each Other

Do you know the difference between "diamond cuts" and "diamond shapes"?

What kind of diamond shapes can you expect to find?

What diamond shapes should you pick?

You ought to know the differences between diamond shapes and diamond cuts before you purchase diamond jewelry.

Diamond Cuts refer to the numbers of facets in a finished diamond and how those facets are proportioned in the gems diamond. The cut usually determines the brilliance of a diamond.

On the other hand, Diamond Shape is the overall outline of the finished gem.

When you're buying diamond stud earrings or rings you need to choose what type of diamond shape you want.

Think hard about which one you want, because different shapes have different numbers of facets (cuts), and each one has particular proportions and dimensions that will give it the best overall appearance.

That means - there are some diamond shapes with cuts that maximize brilliance and other's that don't.

There Are 11 Available Diamond Cuts/Shapes:

Knowing the characteristics of the basic shapes will help you choose which one is most suitable for your preferences, personality, and budget.

Popular diamond shapes/cuts

Round:

These are the most traditional and most popular choice for many women and couples. Round diamonds are super-versatile and can be found in prong and channel settings, with or without accent stones.

Marquise:

This one's elegant and traditional. It's a slim oval shape with tapered, pointed ends. The center stone is usually set parallel to the finger, and it is frequently enhanced with small accent stones along either side.

Emerald:

Emerald shape features a rectangular diamond with trimmed corners. One down-turn is that flaws might be more obvious in this shape and because it has fewer facets to reflect light and hide minor defects -- that means it lacks clarity and brilliance.

Princess:

This square shape is almost as popular as the round diamonds because it's incredibly versatile. It's a very popular diamond for engagement rings, particularly rings with three or more stones using a princess gem as the center stone.

Pear:

This one's also referred as a teardrop diamond, and it's popular in pendants and earrings, Because of the unbalanced shape they're not usually set with elaborate accent stones. As with oval and marquise, a pear diamond elongates short fingers.

Oval

The oval shape is frequently used with other stones in a detailed setting where it may be flanked by smaller diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, etc. If you have small fingers and hands then this shape will blend in nicely without standing out strong as a focal point.

Heart

Heart-shaped diamonds are considered more as a novelty. It's more popular for pendants and earrings. And since the cut is difficult to make, you might want to examine this diamond thoroughly before you buy it to locate hidden flaws or defects.

Radiant

This diamond shape has barely trimmed corners to enhance its brilliance, making it a square version of an emerald shape but with a blend of facets usually found in round stones. Radiant diamond shapes are rare so they can be hard to find.

Trilliant:

This triangular-shaped diamond is unique and quite a fancy cut. It's created with equal sides and have 50 facets. Because of its uniqueness (and price) it's more reserved for the upscale luxury market. Often, people buy a trilliant because of a vanity thing.

Asscher:

This cut is a square with deeply trimmed edges. Asschers are rare and very sought-after for their remarkable depth and beauty. So make sure you buy from authorized dealers to guarantee a worthwhile purchase.

Cushion:

Gently rounded like a pillow or cushion, this smooth shape can remind you of vintage or antique designs. They're relatively rare and because of their uniqueness, they're often set off as solitaires rather than being incorporated into elaborate settings.

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What Is An Ideal Diamond Shape and Cut?

If you want a diamond with maximized brilliance, you'll have to examine the depth.

Generally, the depth of the diamond will determine the amount of light that is reflected back to the viewers eye. Too shallow a stone and the light will pass through it, too deep of a stone and the light is lost as well.

Check out the image below:

To calculate the depth percentage of a diamond shape - divide the depth by the width, and then multiply by 100.

However, you don't have to stress too much about this if you buy certified diamond jewelry.

What Does Diamond Certified mean?
It means that the diamond(-s) has been inspected and graded by a third party - an independent laboratory who specializes in diamonds and gems. The certification of a diamond guarantee the quality and the characteristics of the diamond you choose to buy. A diamond certification confirms the 4 C's of the diamond.

Two of the most reputable laboratories who certify diamonds are: GIA - Gemological Institute of America and IGI - International Gemological Institute

A certificate from one of these expert grading laboratories will enable a reputable jeweler to give you a market value for your diamond without even seeing the stone.

So instead of wasting time on 10 different diamond appraisers to verify if a diamond is accurate with what the store is telling you, you can buy diamond jewelry that is certfied.

Popular Diamond Stud Earrings Shapes with Maximised Sparkle

These diamond shapes are known to have a cut with maximized sparkle. They're also more versatile, making it so that you can wear with everything.

Round diamond stud earrings icon
Via Blue Nile
Round
Round brilliant diamond is the most popular and ideal (because of its maximum brilliance) and it's often readily available in every possible quality and size. It has 58 facets; 33 on top and 24 on the botton and 1 at the point at the bottom maximise sparkle. Round Brilliant is usually more expensive than the other shapes because the cutter loses a lot of the original crystal, plus, it's harder to form a diamond into a circle. Slightly more expensive than princess, but well worth it because of its versatile and timeless look.

Princess square diamond stud earrings
From Diamond.com
Princess/Square
This is the second most popular shape for all women. It gives you that trendy yet classic vibe with maximum brilliance. A really great thing about Princess cut diamond shapes is that is has a few more extra facets than the round which really enhances it's sparkle. In fact, it's really a good thing because the flaws might be less noticeable. And they're cheaper than the rounds!
The Princess which is less expensive than the Round brilliant, saves money for the cutter since it's closest to the octahedral "habit" of rough diamond crystal, the most common formation of diamond in the rough.

Asscher diamond stud earrings
Via Overstock
Asscher
Now, this is gorgeous as it has a lot of depth and beauty because of its deeply trimmed edges. Truly unqique. More expensive than rounds and squares, but well worth it.
Looks classic, unique yet trendy at the same time :-)

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For the Thrill of Diamonds
Here are Other Gorgeous Shapes

Longer shapes have the con of having a slight "bow tie" effect. That means they have a small zone in the center where light leaks out the bottom, creating a darker area in the shape of the bow tie.

The longer diamond shapes are: Pear, Oval, Marquise and Heart.

Via Apples of Gold Jewelry	Oval Such fresh break from regular rounds. Classy yet trendy. They look good on a wide face as the shape elongates it.
From Apples of Gold Jewelry	Pear Pretty unique for the unconventional girl. Looks almost like a twinkling teardrop. Simply beautiful.
	Rhinestoned Diamond rhinestones are gorgeous accents to a pair of diamond stud earrings. They can enhance the big diamond itself, mixed with cheaper semi-precious gemstones (for example Aquamarine, Topaz, etc.) and be formed into a specific shape. These small diamond rhinestones can be flanked together and form a beautiful shape, like for example a butterfly, triangle, heart, etc.