The Many Shapes and Cuts of Diamonds

Our love of diamonds and admiration of their fire and brilliance has given rise to many different cuts and shapes of diamonds. While we still see some of the earliest styles of diamond cuts today, such as the round and emerald-cut, there are many more cuts, some of them patented by their designers and costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. These cuts will be reserved for the finest diamonds and clientel able to afford that perfect gem.

Most jewelers offer at least nine of the most common diamond cuts, including:

• Round diamonds
• Emerald diamonds
• Heart diamonds
• Princess diamonds
• Pear diamonds
• Radiant diamonds
• Asscher diamonds
• Marquis diamonds
• Oval diamonds

The most popular cut for a diamond ring today is still the round, brilliant cut. It was developed in the 17th century in Venice. It is still preferred when the raw crystal is in an octahedron formation. Even though as much as 50% of the stone is cut away in the process, two stones can be often carved from an octahedron so it doesn't all go to waste.

More unusually-shaped stones are used for fancy cuts, such as a marquise, pear or heart-shaped diamond. The earliest brilliants had 17 facets on the top of the stone and were called double-cut. This was soon improved with stones cut with 33 facets and were called triple-cut brilliants.

In the 19th century, with the development of better gem-cutting tools, more innovations in diamond cutting styles were developed. In 1919, Marcel Tolkowsky combined the art of cutting with the science of light and refraction and published his book, Diamond Design. These relatively recent geometric calculations were the forerunner of much of diamond cutting work today and led to other, more precise mathematical models engineered to enhance the fire and brilliance of diamonds.

There are now cuts such as the princess cut, trillions, ovals, pear and heart-shaped. Some innovative cutters have even fashioned star or butterfly-shaped diamonds! One patented cut, the Ashoka diamond, is an oblong cut with rounded, brilliant ends, and requires a stone 3 carats or larger. It’s an exceptionally beautiful (and pricey!) diamond shape. Tiffany has also patented a cut of diamond called the Lucida cut. It’s the lucky bride whose fiancé gives her one of these highly coveted stones!

Difference Between Diamond Shapes and Diamond Cuts

Two diamonds that are the same shape will look very different if the size, size, clarity, color, cut, and weight (carats) of the diamond varies. Naturally the different shapes allow for a greater variety of settings. Round diamonds are perfect for earrings, for example, while pear shaped one might look dazzling when allowed to dangle.

Many people mistakenly use the terms “diamond shapes” and “diamond cuts” interchangeably, but there is a huge difference between them. The cut of a diamond refers to how the artisan maximizes the features of the gemstone by creating angles and details, making the light go into the diamond and bounce back in the most brilliant way possible.

The quality of a diamond's cut contributes greatly to the overall value of the gemstone, where as the shape of a diamond does not increase or decrease a diamond's value. When discussing diamond shapes, you are referring to the actual geometric shape of the diamond, whether it is round or oval, emerald or heart shaped.

For example, a perfectly cut round diamond will burn with a dazzling inner light. A lesser cut will make it appear far more ordinary and a bad cut will ruin it. But all three cuts are still "round."

Choosing the SHape of Your Diamonds

With all the different diamond shapes, and setting, and colors, how do you go about choosing one? If you are buying yourself a diamond, it's just a matter of looking at all the different varieties and finding one that is most pleasing to your eyes, and the ones that look best when you put them on your finger, or wear in your necklace.

When choosing a diamond shape for someone else, it becomes a bit more difficult. For an engagement ring, many women prefer the traditional round shaped diamond, while others may enjoy having something more unique. A young woman or one who is considered a hopeless romantic may prefer to have a heart shaped diamond.

Other considerations for selecting diamond shapes for rings should be based on the size of a woman's hand. If she has relatively short, wide fingers, she can elegantly wear a pear shaped diamond, marquis, or oval shape. Place the same shaped diamond rings on a woman with slender, longer fingers, and it will cover up too much of the finger and look bulky, and perhaps even awkward. Small hands typically look best with round shaped or princess shaped diamonds.

The Most Popular Diamond Shape for Engagement Rings is...

Even though there is a wide variety of diamond shapes available, the most commonly purchased diamond shape for engagement rings is the round diamond. Round diamonds are considered the “classic engagement ring”, and the stones are often set in yellow gold or platinum. In fact, any diamond shape other than round is considered to be a “fancy” shape, since the round diamond is so popular.

© 2006 gems4friends.com