A Man’s Guide to Understanding Diamond Shapes, Part 1

If your lady has been hinting at engagement rings lately, it’s definitely time to do your homework. Diamonds are an expensive investment, so it is important to know as much as you can before buying one. When it comes to diamond rings, there are plenty of options between metals, settings, and diamond shapes. If you don’t know the difference between a Princess Cut and a Marquise Cut diamond, then this is a good place to start learning everything you need about diamond shapes.

Round Diamond

The round diamond has been a popular staple in engagement and wedding rings for the past 100 years. This versatile cut mounts easily into engagement ring settings. Featuring 58 precision-cut facets,  round diamonds offer the most sparkle and brilliance inside the heart of the stone.  The round brilliant is  one of the most highly prized diamond shapes because it presents the largest array of color and clarity flexibility.

Princess Cut Diamond

The Princess cut diamond is the second most popular cut because it is also a versatile choice. This diamond shape is stunning in both classic and modern settings. This shape is square to slightly rectangular with pointed corners. Featuring chevron-shaped facets, the Princess cut diamond maximizes scintillation and fire. In short, whereas the round diamond is round, the princess cut is a square.

Marquise Cut Diamond

Originally commissioned by King Louis XIV, the Marquise cut diamond is unique among diamond shapes.  Also known as the “navette” cut, which means “little boat” in French, the marquise cut is a modified brilliant cut. This means the diamond produces great sparkle and brilliance while maximizing carat weight.  With an elongated shape, the marquise makes fingers look long and slender.

Emerald Cut Diamond

The emerald cut is a step cut which means there are straight, tiered facets . This gives the pavilion (the top of the diamond) the look of a mirrored staircase. Cut corners on the outer edges of the diamond are its signature characteristic.  It is similar to the Princess cut except that the Emerald cut is a rectangle instead of a square.

Pear Shaped Diamond

On a pear shaped diamond, the round part of the pear contributes to its brilliance while the point makes this cut stand out. With a long silhouette, the pear shaped diamond is another one of the most versatile diamond shapes. This cut is also known as a tear-drop shape. Like the Marquise cut, the pear shaped diamonds gives fingers a slender look.

Check back tomorrow for Part 2 of A Man’s Guide to Understanding Diamond Shapes!