ShapesHear the word "diamond" and the first image that comes to mind is likely a classic round sparkly gem. No surprise, considering that 75% of all diamonds sold today, particularly engagement rings, are the round brilliant cut. However, if your tastes lean to the less traditional, you can also choose from a wide selection of attractive diamond shapes on the market today. These are collectively known as fancy cuts. Although jewelry designers frequently experiment with new cuts, you can usually find these shapes: |
 Round The 58 facet full-cut round diamond represents the highest advances in diamond cutting, maximizing fire and brilliance. When in doubt, the round is always a smart choice. |
 Emerald The emerald shape is a rectangle with corner facets and broad, flat planes. It is given a step cut creating rows or steps of elongated facets. When selecting an emerald-cut diamond, good clarity and color are essential - in fact, you will rarely see one in lower grades. That is because inclusions and body color are much more obvious in this shape. |
 Princess Square-shaped with many sparkling facets, the princess cut is one of the newest choices for the diamond engagement ring. It especially enhances the hand with long, elegant fingers. |
 Radiant The radiant cut was developed in the 1970's to bring the brilliancy of the round "ideal" cut to a rectanglular diamond. It actually combines the emerald cut (step cut) on the top of the diamond and the brilliant cut facets on the bottom of the diamond. This cut has the advantage of the brilliance of the "ideal"cut and the advantage of the emerald cut with its ability to show off the color of a diamond. The true radiant cut is a eight sided diamond (in that they have '"cut" corners). |
 Trillion The trillion cut was developed in the late seventies. The cut is an adaptation of the radiant cut but it is in a trianglular shape. The trillion is a triangle that has equilateral sides and is a combination cut of the step cut and the brilliant cut diamond and when cut correctly have a wonderful brilliance. They are often cut shallow and often look large for their carat weight. Trillion diamonds are beautiful when flanking a center diamond, or in a more advante-guarde piece as a center diamond. a matched pair also create beautiful earrings. |
 Marquise The marquise (marq'kees) cut is a variation of the brilliant cut with 58 facets in which the girdle (edge) outline is boat shaped and each end comes to a point. There are no standard proportions to the marquise cut. If the proportions creating brilliance are not cut precisely, often there appears to be an area in the center of this cut that shows a lack of brilliance; sometimes appearing as a darker "bow-tie" in the diamond (as it's known in the trade). This is able to be corrected with recutting the diamond proportions slightly so that the bow tie will disappear. |
 Pear The teardrop-shaped pear makes a beautiful ring. Its cut is a cross between a brilliant and marquise, and is also well-suited to the woman with a petite hand or short fingers. |
 Heart The heart-shaped diamond is the most romantic of diamond shapes. It is like a pear shape, but with a cleft at the top. The cutter's skill comes into play in creating a stone with an even shape and a well-defined outline. |
 Oval The oval is an elliptical shape that is based on the brilliant cut. Because it creates the illusion of length, it is a popular style for a woman with a small hand or short fingers. |
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The next issue to look at when purchasing a diamond is the color. Click here for the Diamond color section. |