It is not always easy to know what the best Diamond Shape is for your dream engagement ring. There are many shapes to choose from, such as:
- Round
- Oval
- Emerald
- Asscher
- Radiant
- Pear
- Cushion
- Princess
In this blog, we will take a look at these sought-after styles, help you understand each one and what they can bring to your engagement ring.
These shapes are known as the classics. Whether you are looking for something traditional or sleek and modern, a round diamond can be fit to please in a variety of settings. They are also known to be one of the most sparkling diamonds in the market, so if you like a bit of pzazz, then this could be the one for you. Not only are these one of the most popular shaped diamonds, they can be found to fit a range of budgets and are customizable to suit a variety of ring styles.
If you are looking for a more dominant ring, then the emerald may be your diamond of choice. Due to its wide shape and internal depth, it appears larger on your hand than many other styles. This is due to the diamond’s elongated shape with a mirror like effect. It also carries an elegance and sophistication to it even at lower carat weights.
Related to the emerald diamond, the asscher cut also has a visual depth. However, this diamond comes in a square (or perhaps more precisely octagonal) form with cut corners, which gives it a distinctive symmetrical appearance. If you desire a ring with a more vintage feel to it, then the asscher may be the way to go.
Another diamond related to the emerald is the radiant. While similar in its rectangular shape, it has an intricate face of 70 facet cuts. This allows light to sparkle and bounce off the mini cuts, creating a brilliance that is hard to match. The radiant is considered a more modern diamond style and could suit you well if a larger size with added sparkle is on your wish list
As the name suggests, this diamond comes in a unique pear shape (also known as the teardrop). Similar to the oval, it will make your finger look that bit longer and sit nicely on top of many ring styles. Due to its small tip and wider body, the pear shape is visually pleasing and gives the sense of a wider diamond than many other styles.
The cushion diamond gets its name from its shape. A hybrid between a round and square diamond, it looks like a cushion and comes with a mixture of attributes. While not as brilliant as round diamonds, they often have better “fire”. The fire effect is achieved with the bending of light around the internal facets of the diamond, producing either brilliant white flashes or a rainbow of colors. This rainbow is known as “fire”.
For best effect, the “fire” is most pronounced in slightly darker areas with fewer light sources, such as a romantic candle lit dinner so the light can effectively travel through the diamond. Interestingly when under intense concentrated light sources like a spot light, the fire couples with the scintillation effect and they are both maximized together.
When it comes to engagement rings, princess cut has a modern look, something akin to an inverted pyramid, and is a sought after fancy diamond. While not quite as brilliant as a classic round shape, they have great sparkle and optimal light performance among the fancy diamonds. Of course, this means it is more budget friendly than its round counterpart, which is great when looking to get a stunning diamond without breaking the bank. They are versatile diamonds that fit many ring styles and can vary in the patterns for the crown as well as number of pavilion cuts. If you are looking for a diamond with options, this could be the one for you.
- Make sure the diamond cut is as high quality as possible. If the cut is badly done, the clarity, color and carat weight will not make up for it.
- Understand your 4Cs! For example, did you know that having 2 diamonds with the same carat weight but different shapes can result in significantly different size diamonds? Make sure you know how the shape interplays with the cut, clarity, color, and carat of your chosen stone, as well as what this means for your budget.