The Shape Of Diamonds: A Focus On Emerald, Radiant And Oval Cuts

The round brilliant cut diamond is by far the most popular and best-known diamond shape. One of the reasons for this popularity is that round brilliant cut diamonds are renowned for their incredible sparkle. But did you know that diamonds come in a variety of other shapes, known as fancy cuts, which include princess, radiant, emerald, Asscher, cushion marquise, oval, pear, and heart shaped diamonds? Fancy cut diamonds have their own unique sparkle, and each diamond shape is beautiful in its own way.

Shape vs. Cut

Before we learn more about fancy cut diamonds, let’s clarify the difference between the shape and the cut of a diamond.

Shape refers to the physical and visual shape of the diamond. It is the diamond's geometric structure, for example round, square, rectangular or oval. Every diamond shape has its own attributes and cut specifications, which play a large factor in the overall look of the stone.

Cut refers to the arrangement of a diamond’s facets and pertains to all shapes of diamonds. Cut is the first ‘C’ of the 4 Cs, the universal method for assessing the quality of any diamond, anywhere in the world. The other Cs are Color, Clarity and Carat Weight. Of the 4 Cs, Cut has the greatest impact on a diamond’s beauty and value.

• Cut: The cut of a diamond determines how well the diamond’s facets interact with light, the proportions of the diamond, and the overall finish of the diamond. The orientation and size of the facets affect how the light passes through the diamond and influences how much the diamond will sparkle and how large it appears. A well-cut diamond reflects light and creates a beautiful sparkling effect, called “scintillation.”
• Color: The scale that grades the color of diamonds ranges from D-Z and refers to the body color of the stone. A diamond with the grade of D means it is colorless and is worth more than the subsequent letters due to its rarity. A diamond graded as Z has visible amounts of color.

 

• Clarity: Quantitates the existence of imperfections on the inside and outside of the diamond as viewed under 10x magnification. Internal imperfections in the diamond are called inclusions while surface imperfections are called blemishes.

• Carat Weight: Measures how much a diamond weighs. 1 carat is equal to 200 milligrams. Each carat is subdivided into 100 ‘points.’ This allows very precise measurements to the hundredth decimal place. A jeweler may describe the weight of a diamond below one carat by its ‘points’ alone. For instance, the jeweler may refer to a diamond that weighs 0.25 carats as a ‘twenty-five pointer.

Below, we highlight three different diamond shapes: Emerald, Radiant and Oval.

Emerald Cut Diamonds

Emerald cut is a “step-cut” diamond, a clean lined shape with a subtle brilliance. Concentric rows of facets parallel to the girdle create an elegant window into the stone. Rectangular or square shape, the beveled corners add a tailored finish. Emeral cut diamonds have a clean understated elegance.



 

Radiant Cut Diamonds

Radiant cut diamonds, which are square or rectangular in shape, marry the fire of the round brilliant cut with the elegance of an emerald cut. While a traditional round or emerald cut diamond has 57 or 58 facets, a radiant cut has 70. The intense sparkle is a result of this irresistible combination.


 

Oval Cut Diamonds

Oval cut is the elongated sister to the round brilliant cut diamond. Because of its larger surface area, the oval can appear bigger than a round brilliant of an equal weight. Different proportions, or length-to- width ratios, give each oval diamond a unique look.



Whether you are looking for a diamond for an engagement ring, eternity band, pendant or bracelet, Kerns should be your first stop. If we do not have the diamond you are looking for on hand, our in-house diamond experts can find it for you. Make an appointment at Kerns to see our collection of diamonds in a large variety of shapes and sizes.