Diamonds can come in all sorts of different shapes and styles – there’s no one shape you have to stick with! Many people love the classic round diamonds, but trendy shapes like ovals and pear-cuts are gaining popularity. We’ve compiled all the diamond shapes into one neat list so you can pick the diamond shape that’s best for you! 

 

Round: Making up nearly 75% of all diamond sales worldwide, the round diamond is hailed for its classic beauty and brilliance. Round diamonds are cut under strict specifications and offers fire and sparkle like no other shape. Brilliant cut round diamonds use faceting to reflect like exceptionally well. Shape, angles, and proportions work together to reflect the maximum amount of light from the top of the diamond.  

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Princess: Princess cut diamonds are the second-most popular diamond shape. This diamond style is generally square with pointed corners and reflects light much like the round diamond. The proportions of a princess cut diamond determine how much sparkle and light the diamond will return. When set, prongs should always cover the four corner points to avoid chipping.  

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Oval: The oval diamond is trending in the diamond and engagement world. This rounded, oblong shape lends itself well to both modern and vintage settings. Due to its spread and table size, this particular cut tends to look larger than other diamond shapes of equal carat weight. Most oval cut diamonds feature a “bowtie” effect running through the center of the stone due to their elongated shape. Depending on the severity of the bowtie, this can be a sign of a poor cut and take away from the sparkle of the diamond.  

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Marquise: The marquise diamond can add a unique shape to an engagement ring. The shape can be compared to that of a boat, an eye, or a football, with two pointed ends and an outward bowed middle. Much like oval diamonds, marquise-cut diamonds tend to look larger than other diamond shapes of equal carat weight and can feature a bowtie effect through the middle. 

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Emerald: Emerald cut stones pay homage to vintage-inspired, art-deco styles. This cut is rectangular, with flat, beveled corners and a large table that displays the facets beneath. The facets in an emerald cut are called step-cuts, as they resemble steps in a staircase and refract light differently than other facet types. Emerald cuts don’t sparkle like other diamonds, they instead have an “on-off” effect when in the light.  

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Pear: Pear-shaped diamonds are often referred to as “tear-shaped” due to their tapered tear-drop appearance. With one pointed end and one rounded end, the pear-cut has a unique sparkle. Depending on the proportions of the diamond, a pear-shape can be fat and short or thin and long. It’s important to find a pear-shape with equal proportions to ensure maximum sparkle and light refraction. Like ovals and marquise diamonds, the pear-shape can show a bowtie effect if poorly cut.  

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Asscher: The Asscher-cut diamond is a unique shape with 8 flat sides, very similar to a square-cut emerald diamond. This shape features step-cut facets and reflects light differently than other facet types, also like the emerald-cut. Overall, both the Asscher and emerald-cuts are very similar, except the Asscher will always be square.  

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Cushion: The cushion-cut diamond combines a square cut (princess) with rounded corners, much like a pillow or a “cushion”. This cut returns light beautifully and interestingly enough, in a chunkier pattern than other shapes. In most cases, the cushion cut is found to be slightly rectangular in proportions, but can be found in square shapes as well. 

 

Radiant: The radiant-cut diamond lives up to its name – its designer created the cut by combining the best features of a round brilliant cut with the emerald cut. In terms of appearance, radiant cuts are shaped like emerald cuts (rectangular, large and flat table, and beveled corners) but have the facet shapes of a round stone instead of step-cuts. This combination allows for excellent light refraction and amazing sparkle.  

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These diamond cuts are the majority of shapes you’ll be able to find at your jeweler. Other shapes, like the shield cut or the hexagon cut, are new to the market and can be difficult to find unless your jeweler has a specialty diamond cutter. Every shape has its pros and cons, so feel free to discuss your favorite shapes with your jeweler to see which one is right for you!  

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