Choosing an engagement ring is a big decision. Often it is the choice of the male who, with the help of an experienced jeweller, can select the best diamond cut and style for his prospective fiancée. If you are choosing the ring yourself, however, you may be confused as to the various cuts, shapes and styles of diamonds available. Which will sparkle the most and which will suit your hand and, of course, your style? Which will you be happy to wear for many years to come? We take a look at the choice of diamonds and what they mean.
Round
This is the most popular diamond cut with many selecting the round-cut as their choice of diamond. In fact, approximately 75% of all diamonds sold are round-cut. The brilliance of this gemstone means that you can really show off the sparkle of your ring.
Princess
The name alone is enough to make the decision for you. How many of you want to feel like a princess? This diamond cut, introduced in 1980, has a face-up shape with rectangular or square sides. Its versatility means that it works well in many styles of ring.
Oval
Like the round-cut diamond, the oval diamond is brilliant and has all the same properties of a round diamond but with an elongated shape. This can give it the illusion of being bigger.
Marquise
Another brilliant cut diamond, the marquise creates the illusion of size. Its football shape means that carat for carat it has the largest surface area of any diamond shape. If you want your ring to look larger than life then the marquise-cut is a good choice.
Pear
The easiest way to describe this brilliant-cut diamond is a mixture of the round and marquise diamonds. This ring has great symmetry with a tapered point at one end. The ratio of length to width of a pear-shaped diamond should be between 1.40 to 1.70.
Cushion
This particular cut was also known as “old-mine” cut. A square diamond with round corners, it is easy to see how it got its name. The cushion isn’t quite as brilliant as other cuts but this diamond has a lot of fire!
Emerald
An emerald diamond is harder to come by than a round-cut or princess-cut diamond however its rarity does not make it more expensive. This particular diamond is actually less in demand although it is worn by many A-list celebrities. While it may not have the sparkle of a round diamond, it is a very elegant choice.
Asscher
This diamond cut was first produced in 1902 by the Dutch Asscher brothers who were famous for cutting the Cullinan stone. It has recently started to make a comeback after a period of only being found in antique shops. Similar to the square emerald-cut, it is often more brilliant.
In addition to the above, there are also the radiant and heart-cuts and those that are known as “fancy’ cuts. These include modified brilliants, step-cuts, mixed-cuts and rose-cuts. It’s safe to say that whatever you are looking for there is something to suit everyone. If you are unsure as to which is the right choice for you, our team of experts will be happy to advise.