The Best Engagement Ring? It's All In The Diamond Shape!
Which is easier: choosing the right engagement ring or choosing the correct shape to go into that engagement ring? A diamond can be cut into a myriad of shapes, from the classic round brilliant to stars, fish, or any shape that your heart desires and wallet can afford! Our jewellers have gotten together to collect their top ten diamond cuts. We wanted to help you choose the ideal diamond shape for your next piece of fine diamond jewellery. So, here are the top 10 diamond cuts for your engagement ring.
1) The Round Brilliant Diamond
This shape is far and away the most popular diamond shape in modern jewellery. This shape has 57 carefully aligned facets to give the round brilliant cut unparalleled sparkle and fire. The visual effect is because the facets cause light to be reflected within the diamond and reflected out to the viewer.
No cut can beat the round brilliant for scintillation and sparkle. You won't go wrong if you choose a round brilliant shape diamond. This shape can look wonderful in almost any setting. Of course, this is the classic engagement ring shape.
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2) Cushion Cut Diamond
This shape, a cross between a round brilliant and a princess cut, has become a firm favourite with our clients. Across the United Kingdom, the cushion-cut has become the second favourite diamond shape. Cushion-cut blends the squared shape of a princess cut with the round profile of the round brilliant to give a curved square appearance, akin to a throw cushion on a sofa.
The cushion cut gives almost all the sparkle and fire of a round brilliant. Weight for weight a cushion-cut can look larger than a round brilliant, which is one reason why our clients love our cushion cut engagement rings!
3) Princess Cut Diamond
At number three the comes the princess cut diamond. This is for lovers of the angular with its square shape, highly faceted and with angular corners that can give an almost octagonal effect. The square shape of this cut gives an angular, modern feel to an engagement or other ring. This shape can be set square or offset by 90 degrees which offer two very different looks.
Most of our princess-cut diamonds are set with box claws to show off the angularity of the shape. The princess-cut keeps its popularity with our design team as well as our customers!
4) Emerald Cut Diamond
The emerald cut is a timeless classic that takes its shape from that used on many emeralds. This elegant shape is best paired with diamonds of high clarity and colour grades because the emerald cut hides no flaws or imperfections.
The emerald cut does not have lots of facets. It uses step cuts that give multiple reflections but do not give the sparkle and fire of the round, princess or cushion. You get flashes of light rather than sparkle - a more subtle effect. If emerald cut jewellery is good enough for a classy lady like Amal Clooney, then it is OK for us too!
5) Oval Shaped Diamond
The Oval cut is another soft profile cut, like the cushion cut. Because the oval is longer than it is wide, it is a great way to emphasise the length of one's fingers. Because it has lots of facets, there's plenty of sparkle, like the round brilliant shape.
Oval cut diamonds tend to have a shallow profile making them a relatively economical cut. This shape gets the most out of a rough, uncut diamond.
6) Marquise Cut Diamond
Carat for carat, the marquise, has the greatest surface area of any diamond shape, so it is a great way to show off a relatively small diamond. The shape is even longer than the oval so, if you're looking for a long narrow form, then the marquise is the top choice.
If you want a diamond to impress, such as when you're proposing, then a marquise cut diamond at the centre of the ring will impress her (and her family and friends) no end!
7) Pear Shaped Diamond
Starting in 2016, our jewellers noticed an increase in the popularity of pear shape diamonds. There was a demand for both solitaire designs and those with pave shoulders, the latter having an imposing visual effect.
If you want a touch of throwback, elegant glamour, then a pear shaped diamond is the way to go. Accompanied by a field of millgrain diamonds to give an even larger display and you'll be showing off the very best of modern blended with vintage style.
8) Asscher Cut Diamonds
Our next pick is the Asscher cut, a square variant of the emerald cut. The reflections from an Asscher cut diamond are like no other with reflections rather than outright sparkle. The Asscher is one of the few patented diamond cuts; however, those patents have expired, allowing many diamond cutters to use the shape or variations.
The beauty of the Asscher cut comes from the stepped cuts in the diamond. There isn't the sparkle of a heavily faceted diamond such as the round brilliant. Still, you get the shine and flashing only possible with stepped cuts.
9) Radiant Cut Diamonds
The radiant cut is an angular shape with 70 facets giving a brilliant, sparkling effect. As a bonus, because this shape uses a large proportion of the rough stone, they offer good value for money because there is very little wastage.
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10) Heart Shape Diamonds
Although, of our ten diamond shapes (or cuts), the heart shape is one of the least commonly found in fine diamond jewellery, it is one of my personal favourites. The heart shape diamond is the Marmite of diamonds. You either love them, or you hate them.
There's just no way to escape the symbolism of the heart shape diamond, so I won't go into the obvious. When you buy a piece of jewellery with a heart shaped diamond, take care of the symmetry. If the lobes of the heart are not cut well, then the shape will look wrong. Also, the proportions need to be spot on to ensure that the diamond is not mistaken for a badly cut pear shape.
Here at All Diamond, you can find examples of all the top 10 diamond cuts. There's so much more to diamonds than the perennial round brilliant cut. When you free yourself up to different shapes, you can get more diamond for your money. Get better-looking diamonds, get more impressive diamond jewellery for less money than you expected. Check out our collections and be inspired!
