your essential guide to

DIAMOND CUTS

... CORRECTLY CALLED DIAMOND SHAPES!

Diamond cut affects style, carat size and brilliance!

This guide will help you discover how to get the right diamond shape for you.

Our must read tips on how the diamond shape impacts the size of your diamond can save you $100s - $1000s. Check our our carat weight chart and guide and consider the impact on size and cost together when choosing your diamond shape.

Diamond Shapes

When looking for an engagement ring, you’ll particularly want to consider the different types of diamond cuts available. Despite not being one of the key 4 C’s of diamond quality, the diamond shape will have the most influence on the style of your ring.

More correctly labeled as diamond shapes, so as not to be confused with the diamond cut scale which measures how well a diamond has been cut  as opposed to the way the stone is cut into different diamond shapes.

MOST POPULAR

Round Brilliant

Round diamonds offer the perfect balance between size, brilliance and versatility, while being a ‘safe’ choice when choosing for your partner. 

Aim for at least ‘Very Good’ cut, polish and symmetry grades to ensure a high brilliance diamond.

Emerald

Emerald shaped diamonds are elongated straight edged diamonds with cut corners and a ‘step’ cut. The step cut means there are fewer but larger facets that act as mirrors for reflecting light.

Emerald cuts should be purchased with high clarity to ensure they are eye clean. The recommended choice of diamond color grade will depend on the jewelry metal.

Cushion

There are many ways to cut a cushion cut diamond and the facets may appear similar to a brilliant cut round, have a vintage ‘old mine’ look or an appearance of crushed ice. Seeing the exact stone before buying is recommended. 

We offer square ratio brilliant cushion cuts as standard.

Oval

Ovals are simply an elongated version of the round brilliant cut. High brilliance, rounded edges but with a subtle twist.

Oval cuts are one of the more popular of the fancy shapes with the ideal combination of price, size and brilliance, together with the soft rounded edges.

Oval cut diamonds are also an excellent choice for elongating the appearance of the finger.

New York street view
Couple in love at the beach

Marquise

Marquise cut diamonds have the largest surface area per carat and offer excellent value for money in that respect as you can opt for a lower carat weight and save, compared to other shapes.

They’re considered a more vintage or alternative choice of diamond shape.

Teardrop Shaped

Pear

Pear shaped diamonds, also known as teardrop diamonds have a rounded edge on one side and a point at the other. Similar to ovals these too are excellent for accentuating the slender appearance of fingers when worn.

Lower colored pears (J-K) are less recommended as the color tint can concentrate in the narrow area of the stone.

Man proposing in NY Central Park
New York rooftops

Heart

For the diehard romantics, there’s nothing that beats the heart shape. Hearts, however, aren’t the most popular engagement ring styles and so design options are relatively limited when compared to some of the different diamond cuts.

Woman looking at the NY view
Setting diamond in necklace

Square Princess

To get a square diamond, you'll want to look for a width-length ratio of 1-1.05.

Princess cut diamonds are not graded for cut by the GIA as there are no 'ideal' measurements, but do have a polish and symmetry grading. 

Aim to avoid very deep cut princess cuts as your diamond will appear significantly smaller.

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Still have questions about diamond cuts or would like more details about a specific item listed?

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Other shapes include...

While our currently collections don't include these shapes, we do love them! Each one has its unique character and style and we hope to play with these in the future.

Radiants are very similar in shape to emeralds, but are brilliant cuts. They therefore have more facets and more sparkle to them. Radiants come in elongated and square radiant form. With radiant cut diamonds you can comfortably purchase SI quality for an eye clean stone.

Asscher cut diamonds are equal ratio square shaped emerald cuts. They too have a step cut and should be carefully selected with high clarity. While a typically sophisticated choice, asscher cuts do appear smaller than other shapes with the same carat weight.

Baguettes are rectangular cut diamonds, usually made in smaller sizes that are rarely set as the centerpiece. Baguettes look very similar to step cut emeralds but without the cut corners. The length width ratio has the most significant effect on the appearance and price of baguette cut diamonds.

Trillion diamonds are triangles that typically are cut with slightly rounded edges for a more appealing aesthetic. These too are relatively uncommon and supply of both diamonds and designs is limited.

Frequently asked questions

Which diamond cuts (shapes) do you carry?

Our collections are designed with rounds, square princess, ovals, emerald, pear shaped, heart and marquise.

Does the shape affect size?

For each carat weight, you'll get a smaller or larger surface depending on the shape. Our carat weight chart shows popular shapes and their average sizes.

Does the shape change the value?

Different shapes use a different amount and shape of raw diamond, therefore their raw cost can differ. However, the main influence on price and value is supply and demand for each shape.

How is your jewelry more ethical and sustainable?

No inventory means no mass production nor cheap labor. It also means no waste. Our diamonds are carefully selected from official, conflict-free, Kimberly certified sources, supporting responsible and family-run businesses like our own and their supporting local communities. We also pay a premium for expert craftsmanship, certified and truly eco and human friendly raw materials, without any extra cost to you. All our jewelry is made to order. Find out why else this matters here.

Can I see the actual diamond and certification?

Absolutely. Simply contact us before purchasing and we'll send over our expert recommendation(s). Once you've found 'the one' we'll put a hold on your chosen stone for you for 24 hours.

Can I get different diamond grading from F-VS2?

Decades of experience in both jewelry design and gemology helped us create our collection and to hand-pick our diamonds. However, if you'd like to request something slightly different such as a change of metal or main stone, please feel free to contact us.

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