Diamond Shapes:
A Guide to Choosing the Perfect Cut
Selecting the perfect diamond center stone for your engagement ring starts with understanding diamond shapes—a personal preference that reflects your style and personality. Whether you envision a timeless round brilliant diamond, the romantic allure of an oval cut, or the sophisticated edge of an emerald cut, knowing the nuances of diamond shapes will help you find the one that feels just right.
Ahead, find a guide to the most popular diamond shapes, providing clear definitions and characteristics to help you choose the perfect diamond for your engagement ring.
Round Brilliant Diamond
The round brilliant cut is the most popular and timeless diamond shape, accounting for approximately 75% of all diamonds sold. It features 58 facets, which are carefully arranged to maximize the diamond’s ability to reflect light. Since this diamond shape maximizes light reflection, it is the most forgiving of inclusions and blemishes. Pro tip: While all round brilliant cut diamonds are round, not all round diamonds (sometimes called a classic round diamond) are brilliant cut—the round brilliant cut is a specific style of cut for a round-shaped diamond.
Oval Diamond
The oval cut is an elongated version of the round brilliant cut, combining the brilliance of a round diamond with a more unique, oval shape. With 58 facets, oval shaped diamonds produce the same sparkle and fire as the round cut, but its elongated shape creates a larger appearance. In recent years, oval cut diamonds have surged in popularity, showing up on the fingers of celebrities like Hailey Bieber and Blake Lively.
Pear Shaped Diamond
The pear-shaped diamond (also called a pear-cut diamond) is a hybrid of the round and marquise cuts, featuring a rounded top with a pointed end. Often referred to as a “teardrop” shape, the pear cut combines the brilliance of the round cut with the elongated appearance of the marquise, making it a popular choice for those looking for a distinctive diamond.
Princess Cut Diamond
The princess cut is a square or rectangular shape with pointed corners. Introduced in the 1980s, the princess cut diamond combines the brilliance of the round brilliant cut with the sharp, clean lines of a square, creating a dynamic diamond shape. The princess cut has 58 facets that contribute to its vibrant sparkle, making it a popular choice for modern engagement rings.
Cushion Cut Diamond
The cushion cut is a square or rectangular diamond with rounded corners, resembling the shape of a pillow. This classic cut dates back to the 18th century and has a romantic, vintage-inspired aesthetic. The cushion cut diamond features larger facets, which give it a softer, more glowing appearance.
Emerald Cut Diamond
The emerald cut is a rectangular shape with trimmed corners and step-cut facets. (Other popular diamond shapes in the step cut family include Asschers and baguettes.) Unlike other diamond shapes, which focus on brilliance and sparkle, the emerald cut highlights the diamond’s clarity and color. This cut features long, straight facets that create a unique “hall of mirrors” effect. The emerald cut diamond’s refined, understated look appeals to those seeking an elegant, timeless style.
Asscher Cut Diamond
The Asscher cut is a square version of the emerald cut, characterized by its cropped corners and step-cut facets, which gives it more of a square shape. Developed in the early 1900s by Joseph Asscher, a member of the renowned Asscher family of diamond cutters from Amsterdam, the Asscher cut has a vintage, art-deco-inspired design. Like the emerald cut, it emphasizes clarity and color, and its large, open facets can reveal the internal characteristics of the diamond.
Marquise Diamond
The marquise cut diamond is an elongated diamond with pointed ends, resembling the shape of an eye. This cut was created in the 18th century for King Louis XV of France. According to legend, it was designed to resemble the shape of the lips of his mistress, Madame de Pompadour. Due to its elongated, unique shape, the marquise cut maximizes carat weight, giving the diamond a larger surface area and making it appear more substantial than other cuts.
Radiant Cut Diamond
The radiant cut is a square or rectangular shape with cropped corners, combining the brilliance of the round cut with the elegance of the emerald cut. The radiant cut has 70 facets, creating an intense sparkle. It’s known for its versatility and works well in a variety of ring settings, providing a vibrant, fiery appearance.
Heart-Shaped Diamond
A heart-shaped diamond is a modified brilliant cut that combines the shape of a traditional round diamond with a distinctive heart shape, making it a popular choice for romantic occasions such as engagements or anniversaries. It features a rounded top with a cleft (indentation) at the point, resembling a heart.
Diamond Shape vs Diamond Cut: What’s the Difference?
When shopping for an engagement ring, two terms often come up: diamond shape and diamond cut. While they may seem interchangeable, they refer to distinct aspects of a diamond. Diamond shape describes the diamond’s overall form—whether it’s round, oval, pear, or another silhouette. Diamond cut, on the other hand, refers to how well the diamond has been faceted to reflect light, which impacts its brilliance and fire. For instance, two diamonds with the same shape—like a round diamond—can have different levels of sparkle based on their cut quality. Understanding both factors ensures you select a diamond that not only has the aesthetic you desire but also maximizes its brilliance.
What Is a Fancy-Shaped Diamond?
According to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), a fancy-shaped diamond refers to any diamond shape other than round. This includes popular shapes like oval, pear, marquise, cushion, emerald, Asscher, radiant, princess, and heart-shaped diamonds. Unlike round brilliant diamonds, which are cut for maximum sparkle, fancy shapes offer a variety of styles, proportions, and facet arrangements, allowing for unique expressions of personal style.
