The round brilliant diamond has become the most popular diamond shape for the engagement ring. Because of the popularity of round diamonds, all diamond stores are well-stocked with round diamonds, providing customers with the greatest range of flexibility in terms of balancing cost versus quality. In other words, whether you are on a limited budget or the "sky's the limit", you will likely be able to find a suitable Round Brilliant Diamond in your price range!
Round
Diamond Shapes
Diamond shapes, not to be confused with cuts, come down to personal style. Some shapes might offer more brilliance, while others offer more fire. Learn a bit more about each cut, and find your favorite below.
If you love the fire of the traditional Round Brilliant Cut, but want something a little different, you might fall in love with the icy fire of the square Princess Cut Diamond. Most square or rectangular cuts don't live up to the round brilliant for sparkle, but the Princess Cut was designed for getting maximum brilliance from a square cut.
Princess
A stylish diamond with tradition. Looks especially exquisite in a solitaire setting.
Marquise
Though a technical description of the heart-shaped diamond is anything but sentimental (the heart-shaped diamond is essentially a pear-shaped diamond with a cleft at the top), the diamond itself is considered by some to be the most romantic of all diamond cuts. The heart-shaped diamond can be quite fiery with excellent sparkle.
Heart
The Oval Diamond has beautiful brilliance that's similar to a round diamond. Oval diamonds are also popular as their length can accentuate long, slender fingers. The modern oval cut is a fiery diamond that reflects light brilliantly. It's a wonderful selection for someone who loves the sparkle of the round brilliant but desires a less common shape.
Oval
The pear-shaped diamond is also called the "teardrop diamond" because of its shape. The diamond is a combination cut of the round-brilliant and the marquise cut. It is a fiery cut with wonderful sparkle and flash. The elegant lines of the Pear Shaped Diamond lend a sophisticated air to both the simplest and most elaborate ring settings.
Pear
As may be evident by the name, the "emerald cut" was originally developed for cutting emeralds, not diamonds. The emerald-cut diamond can be absolutely stunning. Because of its long lines, it tends to be less fiery than a "round brilliant" cut, but it also tends to have broader, more dramatic flashes of light. The trim lines of emerald-cut diamonds lend an elegant, sophisticated air to both the simplest and most elaborate ring settings.
Emerald
The cushion cut is an antique cut that most often resembles a cross between the Old Mine Cut (a deep cut with large facets that was common in the late 19th and the early 20th centuries) and a modern oval cut. This shape is sometimes referred to as the pillow-cut or the candlelight diamond (a reference to cuts designed prior to electric lights, when diamonds sparkled in the light provided by candles). This cut is not as fiery or brilliant as many of the newer cuts, but it has a marvelously romantic and classic look and stands out from the crowd of round brilliants.
Cushion
If you love the fire of the traditional Round Brilliant Cut and the shape of the less fiery Emerald Cut, you may love the Radiant Cut Diamond. Most square or rectangular cuts don't live up to the round brilliant for sparkle, but the Radiant Cut was designed for getting maximum brilliance. Like the emerald cut, the radiant cut diamond is often a rectangle (sometimes square) with cropped corners, but that's where the similarities end. Where the emerald cut has long trim lines, the radiant cut is faceted for fire.
Radient
Round
The round brilliant diamond has become the most popular diamond shape for the engagement ring. Because of the popularity of round diamonds, all diamond stores are well-stocked with round diamonds, providing customers with the greatest range of flexibility in terms of balancing cost versus quality. In other words, whether you are on a limited budget or the "sky's the limit", you will likely be able to find a suitable Round Brilliant Diamond in your price range!
Princess
If you love the fire of the traditional Round Brilliant Cut, but want something a little different, you might fall in love with the icy fire of the square Princess Cut Diamond. Most square or rectangular cuts don't live up to the round brilliant for sparkle, but the Princess Cut was designed for getting maximum brilliance from a square cut.
Marquise
A stylish diamond with tradition. Looks especially exquisite in a solitaire setting.
Heart
Though a technical description of the heart-shaped diamond is anything but sentimental (the heart-shaped diamond is essentially a pear-shaped diamond with a cleft at the top), the diamond itself is considered by some to be the most romantic of all diamond cuts. The heart-shaped diamond can be quite fiery with excellent sparkle.
Oval
The Oval Diamond has beautiful brilliance that's similar to a round diamond. Oval diamonds are also popular as their length can accentuate long, slender fingers. The modern oval cut is a fiery diamond that reflects light brilliantly. It's a wonderful selection for someone who loves the sparkle of the round brilliant but desires a less common shape.
Pear
The pear-shaped diamond is also called the "teardrop diamond" because of its shape. The diamond is a combination cut of the round-brilliant and the marquise cut. It is a fiery cut with wonderful sparkle and flash. The elegant lines of the Pear Shaped Diamond lend a sophisticated air to both the simplest and most elaborate ring settings.
Emerald
As may be evident by the name, the "emerald cut" was originally developed for cutting emeralds, not diamonds. The emerald-cut diamond can be absolutely stunning. Because of its long lines, it tends to be less fiery than a "round brilliant" cut, but it also tends to have broader, more dramatic flashes of light. The trim lines of emerald-cut diamonds lend an elegant, sophisticated air to both the simplest and most elaborate ring settings.
Cushion
The cushion cut is an antique cut that most often resembles a cross between the Old Mine Cut (a deep cut with large facets that was common in the late 19th and the early 20th centuries) and a modern oval cut. This shape is sometimes referred to as the pillow-cut or the candlelight diamond (a reference to cuts designed prior to electric lights, when diamonds sparkled in the light provided by candles). This cut is not as fiery or brilliant as many of the newer cuts, but it has a marvelously romantic and classic look and stands out from the crowd of round brilliants.
Radiant
If you love the fire of the traditional Round Brilliant Cut and the shape of the less fiery Emerald Cut, you may love the Radiant Cut Diamond. Most square or rectangular cuts don't live up to the round brilliant for sparkle, but the Radiant Cut was designed for getting maximum brilliance. Like the emerald cut, the radiant cut diamond is often a rectangle (sometimes square) with cropped corners, but that's where the similarities end. Where the emerald cut has long trim lines, the radiant cut is faceted for fire.
