The Ultimate Guide To Diamond Shape
Diamond shape is possibly the single decision that will have the biggest impact on your engagement ring. While metal, setting, and carat size all play a role in your dream engagement ring, diamond shape is often the first thing people notice.
The shape of a diamond can drastically alter the look of the ring, the way it catches the light, and how the stone sits on your hand. With any of the popular diamond shapes on the market, the idea behind the cut is to leave as much of the top of the stone intact as possible. This allows light to filter through and reflect the natural sparkle of the stone. Each diamond shape has different facets and cuts that help to make the diamond shine.
Understanding The 4 C's: Cut
When you think of the cut, you probably think of the shape of the diamond. You are partially correct. While cut does refer to shape, it also refers to the proportions of how the diamond is actually cut.
Diamonds are cut into many different shapes, reflecting not only popular taste but the proportions and quality of the rough diamond. The most popular shapes include Round, Princess Cut, Cushion, Oval, Emerald, Heart Shape, and Marquise cuts. Many specialty shapes are also available.
A diamond’s overall proportions, as well as the size and placement of its many reflective surfaces or facets, also play a large part in “cut.” The consistency and balance of these can greatly affect how the stone captures light and reflects it back to the eye.
Which Diamond Shape is Right for You?
With more than ten different possible shapes, it’s easy to get overwhelmed while shopping. Here is a quick overview of the most popular diamond shapes couples ask for at our New Oxford showroom that you are likely to see while shopping for an engagement ring.
Round Shape Engagement Ring
The round shaped diamond is by far the most popular choice for engagement rings around the world, for a few reasons. Round is a safe bet if you aren’t sure what kind of diamond your fiancée prefers, as it is universally popular and shaped to capture the most light when worn. It’s also likely to please a woman with traditional style who doesn’t like anything too unique or funky.
Emerald Shape Engagement Ring
The emerald is a rectangular shape with multiple long facets cut along each side to encourage the light to reflect and sparkle. These are called stepped cuts, and they encourage light refraction. This cut can make the diamond attract more light than other shapes like a round or square cut. Fashionable and unique, many celebrity women love emerald cut diamonds for both modern and vintage-inspired engagement rings.
Square or Cushion Shape Engagement Ring
Eye catching and unique, the distinctive shape of a square cut diamond draws the eye as it stands out against the finger. A square shaped stone is best for women with long fingers, as it can make short fingers look even shorter.
Pear Shape Engagement Ring
The pear-shaped diamond is less like the fruit shape and more like a teardrop, with a rounded bottom that comes up to a pointed tip. Pear shaped diamonds saw a surge in interest in early 2018 when Ariana Grande wore a pear-shaped diamond engagement ring during her short-lived engagement to Pete Davidson. Sources said she was drawn to the ring because it reminded her of the teardrop emoji symbol. Pear shaped diamonds are said to make short fingers appear longer and stand out thanks to the pointed shape, which refracts extra light.
Princess Shape Engagement Ring
Like the emerald cut, a princess cut is a variation on a geographic shape. While the top of the stone is a square or rectangle, the bottom side comes down to a point. This inverted pyramid shape is due to the beveled cut, which creates multiple beautiful facets. A relatively new shape, the princess cut originated in the 1960s and quickly became the second most popular shape for engagement rings, behind the round shaped stone.
Heart Shape Engagement Ring
A heart shaped diamond can stand out in a sea of engagement rings, because you do not see as many of them as the more traditional shapes. However, your fiancée might find the cut too cute or girly, especially if she works in a professional office environment.