Diamonds are cut into many different shapes, reflecting not only popular taste but also the proportions and quality of the rough diamond. It is important to consider proportion, as well as the placement of a diamond’s facets (a facet is a plane cut into a diamond which is then polished). These factors can affect how the stone captures the light and reflects it back to the eye. If a diamond is well cut, it will reflect the most light and sparkle more. Remember, women like expensive, shiny stones, it seems like a cliché, but it’s true.
Below is an introduction to the most popular cutting styles you will see on the market. But please remember that buying a diamond is all about personal taste, these guidelines are just that, guidelines, so go with what feels right.
The round brilliant is an adaptation of the Old European diamond cut. Since the early 1900s the round brilliant cut has been growing in popularity and is perhaps the most popular style. This cut has either 57 or 58 facets meaning that it captures the light from any angle, increasing the amount of sparkle. If your lady wants a stone that’ll catch the eye from across the room, it’s a round brilliant cut that she’ll appreciate. Additionally, the cut can help to disguise a flawed stone by hiding the body of the diamond in a dazzling, shimmering blaze of light whenever it’s in the light.
Like the round cut the oval cut has lots of facets meaning lost of reflection and therefore a lot of sparkle. The main difference between the oval and the round is, as the name suggests, its shape. The oval is elliptical as opposed to being rounded. There is no set proportion that dictates the shape of a perfect oval diamond it’s all down to taste, but about one and a half times as long as it is wide is a good start. Due to its shape, an oval-cut diamond will visually lengthen a lady’s fingers, think of this as a good thing for your partner when you’re buying. An oval-cut stone radiates class and as such perfectly suits those with a classic approach to fashion.
The elongated shape of a marquise cut can create the illusion that the stone is larger than it actually is, as a result, you can get a ‘bigger’ stone than if you were going for another cut. What the marquise gains in terms of size, it loses in terms of brilliance, or sparkle. The stone typically has fewer facets and is not as deep as an oval or round brilliant stone, meaning that it reflects less light. That doesn’t mean that a well cut marquise carries less of a wow-factor, but rather that you’re relying on sheer size and beauty, rather than eye-catching sparkles. In terms of proportion, the stone should be around twice as long as it is wide.
The heart-shaped brilliant is the ultimate symbol of love, and by far the most romantic of all diamonds. It is important that the lobes are symmetrical and well defined, again this something you can check by eye. The skill of the diamond cutter has a dramatic influence on the final appearance of the stone as the cut is so complex. While a round brilliant might appeal to a more traditional woman, a heart-shaped diamond might be more desirable to the hopelessly romantic. It looks great when worn as a pendent, close to the heart.
Unlike the previous shapes discussed, this particular one is a step cut (it consists of 58 parallel facets arranged in steps). This method was initially used for the cutting of emeralds. The step cut tends to highlight any imperfections as the cutting process slices a cross section through the rough diamond. If you’re going for this cut the stone has to be of high quality as any flaws will be instantly recognisable. The emerald-cut diamond has a powerful and elegant appeal, and looks best as a simple ring, without any side-stones to enhance it.
The princess cut results in square or rectangular shaped diamonds and takes elements of both the brilliant and step-cut styles. It sparkles as much as a brilliant cut stone yet retains the elegance of the emerald cut, making it an increasingly popular choice. The princess cut is less expensive than the brilliant cut as it has fewer facets, 49 or 50 as opposed to 57 or 58. Princess cuts make lovely engagement rings when set with accent stones such as trillions (triangular shaped diamonds), preferably on a discrete woman with smaller hands.
