My Jewelry Blog

It is important not to confuse the terms diamond “shape” and “cut”. The shape is the geometrical form of the diamond such as round, heart or princess, while the cut refers to the precise angles and alignment of the facets and the way they affect the beauty and brilliance of the polished stone.

Contrary to popular belief and perhaps your experience in most shops, fancy-shaped diamonds (as all non-round diamonds are called) are often less expensive than round brilliants because the cutters are able to retain more weight from the rough diamond crystal.

Round Brilliant

Rounds are the most popular shape that diamonds are cut into and account for more than 75 percent of all diamond purchases. It is also the most brilliant of all the cuts. You may have heard of a term called “Ideal Cut”. This term refers to the attempt to cut a diamond into the best proportions to achieve maximum brilliance.

The modern round brilliant consists of 58 facets (or 57 if the culet is excluded); 33 on the crown (the top half above the middle or girdle of the stone) and 25 on the pavilion (the lower half below the girdle).

In recent decades, most girdles are faceted. Many girdles have 32, 64, 80, or 96 facets; these facets are not counted in the total.

If you are looking to tie the knot, the round brilliant cut diamond encompasses beauty and is usually the perfect cut for engagement and wedding rings. The round brilliant cut diamond offers unsurpassed brilliance and sparkle, provided that it is cut to certain specifications. If you would like to have optimum fire and brilliance without having to spend a fortune Diamond Manufacturers recommends a diamond with a very good cut, polish and symmetry. Click here to view our extensive inventory of very good cut round brilliant diamonds.

If you are looking for a good quality round diamond but have a tight budget, click here to view our low price selection of round brilliant diamonds.

Princess

The Princess cut is the most popular shape after the round and the preferred square cut shape over radiant. The princess cut diamond is a square brilliant cut diamond with sharp, uncut corners. It is generally more square in shape than rectangular, and accentuates a diamond’s fire rather than its luster. The diameter of the princess cut is usually smaller than that of a round cut with the same carat weight, and the length is usually longer than that of a round cut. The princess cut is sometimes referred to as a square modified brilliant, as it combines the brilliance of a round cut with an overall square or rectangular appearance. A princess cut diamond does sacrifice some brilliance in order to have its unique square shape however.

By design, the princess cut diamond has approximately 76 facets which add to the brilliance and fire and help it rival the visual performance of a well cut round brilliant. Extra facets are common on princess cut diamonds, especially in the tips where the cutters have to work harder to produce a sharp corner free of extensive abrasions. A princess cut diamond ring is very flattering to a hand with long fingers. For a princess diamond shape that is square, look for length-to-width ratios between 1 and 1.05. If you prefer more of a rectangular shape, look for length-to-width ratios between 1.10 and 1.20.

If you love the fire of the traditional Round Brilliant Cut (the standard diamond engagement ring cut), but want something a little different or simply fancy a square stone, the princess cut diamond is in a class of its own. Most square or rectangular cuts just don’t live up to the round brilliant for sparkle, but the Princess Cut was designed for getting maximum brilliance from a square cut. Always ensure that the setting for your princess cut diamond protects the four pointed corners — these are the points most likely to chip (and why most rectangular or square diamond cuts have cropped corners).

We strongly recommend you to avoid princess cut diamonds with shallow crown heights of only a few percent. A large percentage of princess cut diamonds look flat and lack in luster because the table facets are too large and the crown height is too shallow. Please beware that while a round diamond with a colour grade of I or J could still look colourless depending on numerous factors, a princess cut diamond will most probably show colour tints, specially on the corners. At Diamond Manufacturers we only showcase princess cut diamonds which have been cut to maximize their fire and brilliance. We recommend you to choose princess cut diamonds with a minimum colour of H, clarity of VS2, and very good cut. Click here to view our selection of premium quality princess cut diamonds.

If you are looking for a good quality princess cut diamond but have a tight budget look for a stone with a minimum colour of I, clarity of SI2, and very good cut. Click here to view our selection of princess cut diamonds with the best balance of quality and cost.

Princess  

L ÷ W =  1.00  1.10  1.25  

Preferred ratio: 1.00  

 Most princess cut diamonds are square or very close to square, with a perfect 1.00 or 1.10 ratio. This ensures a square outline when set. If a distinct rectangular shape is preferred, look for a ratio of 1.25 to 1.50.

Emerald

This rectangular shape is a step cut. It has fewer facets than a brilliant cut and is most attractive in simple designs. Inclusions and inferior color may be more pronounced in this cut; higher grades of colour and clarity are recommended.

This is a rectangular shape with cut corners. It is known as a step cut because its concentric broad, flat planes resemble stair steps. The number of facets in an emerald cut may vary from 50 to 58.

When purchasing an emerald cut diamond, it’s extremely important to pay attention to quality and to select the highest grade stone you can afford. Because of the “openess” of the cut, flaws, colour weakness, and a poor cut are more evident to the naked eye than a cut such as the round brilliant. It is also essential to understand that emerald cut diamonds have less sparkle than other diamond shapes. The good news is, emerald cut diamonds are not as “traditional” as the round brilliant or as trendy as the princess cut — making their pricing extremely economical when compared to the more common cuts. Diamond Manufacturers recommends to look for emerald cut diamonds with a minimum colour of H, clarity of VS2, and very good cut. Click here to view our selection of premium quality emerald cut diamonds.

If you are looking for a good quality emerald cut diamond but have a tight budget look for a stone with a minimum colour of I, clarity of SI1, and very good cut. Click here to view our selection of emerald cut diamonds with the best balance of quality and cost.

Emerald

L ÷ W =  1.20  1.40  1.50  1.75  2.00  

Preferred ratio: 1.40  

 The emerald cut looks most elegant at a 1.40 (or approximate range of 1.30 to 1.50) ratio. This outline emphasizes the beautiful parallel line facets and blocked corners.

Marquise

Featuring an elongated shape and pointed ends, the marquise cut diamond can often look larger than other shapes of the same carat weight.

If you are looking for a diamond cut that will stand out in the crowd and be easily noticed, consider the marquise cut diamond. The marquise cut diamond is considered a fancy shape by most standards and buyers. The marquise cut diamond can be characterized as a boat shaped brilliant stone. Because of its unique shape it usually demands to be the center of attention. The standard number of facets is 58, but can have a varying number of pavilion main facets ranging from 4, 6, or 8.

When choosing a Marquise, take care to look for sharp edges and pointed ends that increase the risk of damage to the stone. Also long narrow stones are more likely to break. Another important consideration is to make sure the angles of the diamond have been properly cut to avoid a “bow tie effect”. The bow-tie effect is when a bow-tie shaped dark area on the diamond occurs, usually as the result of improperly cut angles.

When choosing a marquise diamond, it extremely important to note the overall clarity and colour of the diamond. Due to the shape of the marquise cut diamond, the color and clarity will be more apparent. Unlike round cut diamonds that are less noticeable when it comes to colour and clarity, a marquise cut diamond’s colour and clarity should be of very high quality standards in regards to its color and clarity.

If you are looking for an extremely fancy cut diamond that is sure to please, choose the marquise cut diamond. Diamond Manufacturers suggests that you choose a marquise cut diamond with a minimum colour of H, clarity of SI1 and very good cut. Click here to view our selection of premium quality marquise cut diamonds.

If you are looking for a good quality marquise cut diamond but have a tight budget look for a stone with a minimum colour of I, clarity of SI2, and very good cut. Click here to view our selection of marquise cut diamonds with the best balance of quality and cost.

Marquise

L ÷ W =  1.60  1.80  2.00  2.25  2.50  

Preferred ratio: 2.00 | Range: 1.945-2.055  

 The marquise is usually cut to a 2.00 ratio (or approximate Range of 1.75 to 2.25). This ratio gives the shape a distinct length and elegance, but provides a good balance of width that is very pleasing to the eye. Very short and wide (less than 1.50) may be difficult to tell apart from an oval, and extremely long and thin (2.50 or more) may lack brilliance and be very difficult to set properly.

Oval

The oval cut diamond is a modified version of the round brilliant cut. An even, perfectly symmetrical design popular among women with small hands or short fingers.

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