The most popular diamond shapes...

Have you had the chance to see a rough, uncut diamond, most gorgeous accessories . It looks nothing like the the brilliant diamonds that we often see mounted on engagement rings. It looks dull and misshapen, but this is what a diamond looks like before it is cut, polished and mounted on a piece of jewelry.

Rough diamonds are cut not only to give them a visually appealing symmetrical shape, but also to enhance their optical properties. The beauty of a diamond lies in how well it can reflect light, which is why a diamond’s shape plays a huge factor on its final price. This makes diamond cutting a complicated business; a diamond cutter has to determine what cut would bring out a diamond’s best qualities. Since each diamond is unique (natural diamonds are, at least), it can take a diamond cutter months and sometimes even years to plan how to cut a particular diamond.

A diamond cutter can cut a diamond into practically any shape he wants, but there are certain shapes that has proven to be favorites time and time again the world over. Here are some of the most popular diamond shapes used in diamond engagement rings and other jewelry.

Round:
Still the most popular shape for loose online diamonds, a round cut brings out the most brilliance and fire from a diamond, but also sacrifices the most from its original carat weight.

Princess:
This is a square-shaped cut with 90 degree angles. This kind of cut preserves almost 60% of a diamond’s original carat weight and also makes inclusions (flaws) less visible.

Asscher: The Asscher cut was first introduced by Joseph Asscher, a renowned diamond cutter, in 1902. This is a square to rectangular cut with beveled corners similar to an emerald cut and is typically done on diamonds with very few inclusions.

Radiant:
This is a relatively new cut that takes the shape of an emerald cut but features facets similar to a round cut.

Cushion:
Cushion cut diamonds are square or rectangular with rounded sides and corners. This cut was introduced way back in 1830, which is why it is commonly associated with antique and heirloom pieces.

Emerald:
An emerald cut will be somewhere in between a square and a full rectangle with beveled corners and step facets. This cut makes inclusions visible even to the naked eye.

Marquise: This is a very unique elongated shape with pointed ends, similar to an eye. Marquise cut diamonds have more size per carat weight compared to any other shape and also exudes brilliance because of its 58 facets.

Oval:
An oval cut can be considered the elongated version of the round brilliant cut as it features the same number of facets. It is a classic look that creates the illusion of long and slender fingers.

Pear:
Another cut which makes the wearer’s fingers appear more slender, the pear cut is similar to the marquise cut, except with one rounded end. It looks more like a teardrop than a pear.

Heart:
The symbol of love, this is one of the most in-demand cuts, but also requires a great deal of skill from its cutter. A typical heart cut will have 58 facets to bring out the diamond’s brilliance and fire.

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