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When picking out an engagement ring, knowing what the cut of a stone is, or the the shape is detrimental to picking out an engagement ring. No two cuts are the same, and knowing the difference between each cut will save you a lot of head scratching time at the jewelry store. Before making a costly investment in an engagement ring, do your homework.
Cut/Shape
A diamond typically is found in nature as an octahedron-shaped crystal (image two four-sided pyramids with their bases connected). As a result of a diamond’s hardness, it’s very difficult to change its shape. Quality cutting is critical to a diamond’s value. A well-cut diamond captures and returns light through carefully designed and angled planes called facets. When a gem cutter looks at a rough diamond, he will decided the best shape to highlight the diamond’s assets or hide its flaws. The more facets a cut has, the better suited it is to hide flaws.
Cutting quality is rated on certificates as excellent, very good, good, fair or poor.
The best way to grade the cut from 0 - 10. 0 being the best and 10 the worst.
| STONE SHAPE |
DESCRIPTION |
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Round
Diamonds come in a variety of shapes. The most common is the round brilliant, which features 58 facets and is generally regarded as the cut that displays a diamond to best effect. |
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Princess
Other popular cuts include the princess. The princess has a square face that tapers down to a triangular shape. |
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Emerald
The emerald is a rectangular shape with less facets. |
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Oval
The oval cut diamond is constructed similarly to the round cut. It has 56 facets. |
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Cushion
This square-ish cut with rounded edges resembles a pillow, hence the name “cushion” cut. |
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Heart
One of the most unique cuts with 59 facets. |
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Marquise
A somewhat severe version of the oval cut with rounded sides and pointed ends. If you choose this cut, make sure it’s of high quality. Any flaws will show easily. |
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Radiant
A radiant cut diamond is a squarish, and sometimes rectangular-ish, cut diamond with trimmed corners. Like the marquise, if you choose this fancy cut it must be of high quality. |
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Pear
A tear drop shaped cut with a pointed end. Usually has 58 facets. |
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Asscher
Similar to the cushion or emerald cut but with added facets for maximum brilliance. | |
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