Written By Alex Wong.
Last updated: 20 Nov 2024.
Diamond Shapes: Your Guide to Making the Perfect Choice
When it comes to selecting a diamond, its shape is a crucial factor that defines the overall look, feel, and style of the jewellery piece. Whether you are buying an engagement ring, a pair of earrings, a pendant, or simply treating yourself to a timeless gift, understanding the different diamond shapes will empower you to make an informed decision that reflects your personal taste. This guide will take you through the most popular diamond shapes, detailing their characteristics and why they might be the perfect choice for your next jewellery purchase.
What Is Diamond Shape?
The term diamond shape refers to the geometric form of a diamond when viewed from the top, such as round, oval, or princess. In contrast, the cut describes how well a diamond’s facets are proportioned and arranged to interact with light, influencing its brilliance and sparkle. While the shape determines the diamond’s silhouette, the cut defines its ability to reflect and refract light, impacting the overall beauty and value of the stone.
Diamond Shape Background
Diamond shapes have evolved over centuries, beginning with simple forms like the point and table cuts and progressing to intricate shapes such as the old mine and rose cuts, popular during the Georgian and Victorian eras. The development of the modern brilliant cut in the early 20th century revolutionised the industry by maximising brilliance and fire, leading to the creation of popular shapes like princess, cushion, and emerald cuts. Today, shapes range from the classic round brilliant to distinctive forms like pear and marquise, offering buyers options that reflect personal taste and suit various jewellery designs.
The Most Popular Diamond Shapes
Round Brilliant
The round brilliant is the most popular diamond shape, celebrated for its unmatched sparkle and timeless appeal. Featuring 57 or 58 precisely aligned facets, it maximises fire and brilliance, making it a classic choice for engagement rings, solitaire pendants, and stud earrings. Although it may come at a higher price due to its popularity and the detailed cutting process, its enduring beauty and superior light performance make it a valuable investment for a timeless, captivating piece.
Princess Cut
The princess cut is a popular fancy-shaped diamond known for its modern square or rectangular shape with pointed corners and brilliance comparable to the round cut. Its clean, angular design offers a stylish, sophisticated look, ideal for engagement rings and statement earrings, while being more affordable than round diamonds of the same carat weight. Although the pointed corners can be prone to chipping if not properly secured, choosing a protective mounting like a bezel or prong ensures durability. With the right setting, the princess cut combines contemporary flair and exceptional brilliance, making it an elegant and valuable choice.
Cushion Cut
The cushion cut, a blend of round and princess cuts, features soft, rounded corners and large facets that enhance its brilliance. This vintage-inspired shape offers a romantic, timeless look, ideal for those who appreciate classic yet distinctive jewellery. With customisable facet patterns for varied sparkle, cushion cut diamonds are popular for engagement rings, exuding warmth and elegance with their pillow-like shape. Although it may be less brilliant than a round cut, its soft, romantic lines make it a versatile and cherished choice for rings, pendants, and other jewellery pieces.
Oval Shape
Oval diamonds offer the brilliance of a round diamond with a distinctive, elongated silhouette. This shape creates the illusion of greater size than other shapes of the same carat weight and makes fingers appear longer and more slender, which is especially flattering for ring wearers. Often chosen for engagement rings, oval diamonds provide a modern twist on a classic look. While they can sometimes display a “bow tie” effect, a shadow in the centre that varies based on cut quality, their unique beauty and elegant appeal make oval diamonds a popular and eye-catching choice.
Emerald Cut
The emerald cut is characterised by its long, rectangular facets and large open table, which emphasise the diamond’s clarity over brilliance. This step-cut design exudes sophistication and is ideal for those who appreciate understated elegance, making it popular for engagement and cocktail rings with a refined, vintage-inspired look. Although it offers less sparkle than brilliant cuts and reveals imperfections more easily due to its open facets, choosing a high-clarity diamond highlights the emerald cut’s timeless elegance and unique beauty, making it a striking and graceful choice.
Marquise Cut
The marquise cut features an elongated shape with pointed ends, maximising carat weight and making the diamond appear larger than other shapes of the same size. This regal cut creates a dramatic and elegant appearance, perfect for those seeking a bold statement in engagement rings or statement jewellery. While it must be set securely to protect the delicate, pointed ends, careful attention to craftsmanship ensures the marquise cut’s durability and striking beauty, making it an eye-catching and sophisticated choice.
Pear Shape
The pear-shaped diamond, or teardrop, blends the elegance of the round and marquise shapes. With its rounded end and tapering point, it creates a unique, sophisticated look that elongates the finger, making it popular for engagement rings, earrings, and pendants. The elongated design not only makes fingers appear slimmer but also offers substantial sparkle and distinctiveness. While it must be set properly to avoid chipping at the pointed tip and may show the “bow tie” effect depending on cut quality, the pear shape’s graceful, eye-catching appeal makes it a timeless and beautiful choice.
Heart Shape
The heart-shaped diamond is the ultimate symbol of love, featuring a modified brilliant cut that offers a decent amount of sparkle. This unique shape requires exceptional craftsmanship for perfect proportions, making it a meaningful choice for engagement rings, pendants, and other sentimental jewellery. However, it is less popular than other shapes, which may affect its resale value, and it requires precise cutting to maintain symmetry. Nonetheless, when well-cut, it offers a distinctive and romantic aesthetic, making it an unforgettable and heartfelt choice.
Conclusion: Your Perfect Diamond Awaits
Choosing the right diamond shape is an exciting and personal journey that should reflect your
unique style and preferences. By exploring the attributes of each shape, you can
find the perfect balance of beauty, practicality, and budget. Keep in mind that the
diamond shape you select will not only define the stone’s appearance but also enhance the overall
design of your jewellery, making it a piece that truly represents you and stands the test of time.
At Alex Wong Jewellery, we offer
personalised guidance and a stunning selection of diamond jewellery. Whether you’re looking for the
perfect engagement ring or a timeless gift, our team is committed to supporting you at every step of
your diamond journey.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Diamonds come in popular and common shapes, including round, princess, cushion, oval, emerald, marquise, pear, and heart. Each shape offers unique visual characteristics and appeal.
The common diamond shapes include round, princess, cushion, oval, emerald, marquise, pear, and heart. Each name reflects the specific cut and silhouette of the diamond.
Ten popular diamond shapes include round brilliant, princess, cushion, oval, emerald, marquise, pear, Asscher, radiant, and heart shapes.
The most popular shape depends on personal preferences and priorities. The round brilliant is often favoured for its unmatched sparkle and timeless appeal, while shapes like princess and cushion are also highly popular for their unique and distinctive looks.
The round brilliant diamond is typically the most expensive shape due to its high demand and the detailed cutting process, which requires more of the rough diamond to be removed. However, pricing depends on factors like carat, clarity, and color, which can make other shapes equally or more expensive in specific contexts.
Emerald and cushion cuts are generally more affordable than other shapes, as their designs require less precise faceting and make efficient use of the rough diamond. Pricing also varies, depending on quality and carat weight.
The emerald cut is often regarded as one of the most elegant shapes due to its clean, step-cut facets and large open table, which emphasise the diamond’s clarity and exude understated sophistication.
Yes, rose cut diamonds are generally less expensive because they have fewer facets, resulting in less brilliance and a lower per-carat price compared to modern brilliant cuts.
Diamond patterns are referred to as facet patterns, which describe how the facets are arranged on the diamond's surface to create its cut style, such as brilliant cut, step cut, or mixed cut.
The most expensive diamonds are round brilliant diamonds due to their high demand and the detailed cutting process. Among natural diamonds, flawless, colourless diamonds with a high carat weight are the priciest.
Fake diamonds are commonly referred to as simulants or synthetic stones, such as cubic zirconia (CZ) and moissanite. Lab-grown diamonds are real but are man-made and distinct from simulants.
The best type of diamond depends on factors such as the jewellery type, budget, and personal preferences. Round brilliant diamonds are ideal for maximum sparkle, while emerald cuts are preferred for showcasing clarity and an elegant, understated look. For those seeking value, a cushion cut often offers a balance of beauty and affordability. Ultimately, the best choice will reflect your unique style and priorities.
The round brilliant diamond is known to provide the most sparkle due to its 57 or 58 facets that are precisely cut to reflect and refract light effectively.
Beauty is subjective, but the round brilliant is often considered the most beautiful for its unmatched sparkle, while the emerald cut is favoured for its timeless elegance and ability to showcase clarity.
Choosing a diamond that suits you depends on your personal style, hand shape, and lifestyle. For example, an oval or marquise can elongate shorter fingers, while a round or cushion offers a timeless, classic look. Consulting a jewellery expert can help you try on different shapes and find the one that feels perfect for you. This hands-on approach ensures the diamond complements your unique features and preferences.
Engagement rings come in a variety of diamond shapes, each offering a unique aesthetic. Popular shapes include round brilliant, princess, cushion, oval, emerald, marquise, pear, and heart. Each shape brings different levels of sparkle and style, with round brilliant being known for its unmatched brilliance, while shapes like emerald and marquise offer a more distinctive, elegant appearance.
Heart-shaped diamonds are not inherently tacky; they are a bold and romantic choice that reflects deep sentiment and personal style. While not as common as other shapes, they are perfect for those who want a unique and symbolic engagement ring or piece of jewellery. Their appeal largely depends on individual taste and the design of the jewellery.
Long fingers can complement many diamond shapes, but oval, marquise, and emerald cuts are particularly flattering as they enhance the length of the fingers and maintain an elegant proportion. These shapes accentuate the natural grace of long fingers while offering a sophisticated look.
The ideal setting for a pear-shaped diamond enhances its shape and ensures security. A prong setting with five or six prongs is popular for protecting the pointed tip. Halo settings add brilliance and make the diamond appear larger, while bezel settings offer maximum protection. Three-stone settings can also complement the pear shape, adding elegance with side stones.