Ring shapes – find your perfect sparkle
A wedding or engagement is a wonderful event in every girl’s life, and the main attribute of this occasion is a diamond ring. The diamond, or more precisely its shape, plays a crucial role in choosing the ring. The shape of the precious stone determines the style, allowing the jewelry to fully reveal its beauty and sparkle. In this article, we will look at the most common diamond shapes. This information will undoubtedly help in choosing the perfect engagement ring.
Shape vs. Cut: What’s the Real Difference?
To fully understand and distinguish between diamond shapes, it is important to define the difference between the terms: cut and shape. It’s quite simple.
- Shape – This is the geometric expression of the precious stone, for example, in the form of a square, oval, circle, etc.
- Cut – This is the method of processing the diamond. Thanks to the cut, the stone achieves the desired shape and reveals its true brilliance and charm.
By understanding the concepts of shape and cut, the choice of jewelry will be conscious, and finding the perfect engagement ring will be much easier.
The Most Loved Diamond Shapes: From Classic to Bold
In the world of jewelry, there are dozens of diamond shapes and cuts. For a beginner, it can be difficult to immediately understand such a diverse and vast selection of precious stones. This guide will help you delve into the beautiful world of jewelry.
Round Brilliance: Timeless Elegance for Every Style
The round diamond shape will never go out of style. A round diamond looks magnificent on any finger. Its style is universal. The round diamond is unique because it has the maximum number of facets, allowing the stone to shine brilliantly. A ring with a round diamond is suitable for any occasion, but it looks especially bright and effective during an engagement. Such a sparkling ring will undoubtedly attract the attention of all guests.
The round brilliant was developed by Marcel Tolkowsky in 1919 and is considered the most brilliant of all diamond cuts due to its 57 or 58 facets.
Oval: Sleek and Modern, Perfect for Longer Fingers
A ring with an oval diamond looks stylish and immediately stands out from a ring with a round diamond. The elongated shape of an oval diamond looks very beautiful on long and slender fingers. The oval shape adds grace and charm to the jewelry. Also, an oval diamond has many facets that can maximally reflect light and create a bright and beautiful shine. This shape of diamond ring is suitable for those looking for a modern and unusual engagement ring.
The oval cut was created by Lazare Kaplan in the 1960s, and it is known for its ability to make the diamond appear larger than its actual size.
Princess: A Sharp, Contemporary Favorite
This is a square-shaped diamond. The sharp, straight angles give the stone a modern, stylish look. The unique design is extremely popular, and the sparkle of the stone attracts attention, even from the most discerning buyer. The many facets on a Princess diamond allow it to shine and look stunning on the hand.
The Princess type was developed in the 1960s and is known for its square shape with pointed corners, which maximizes the diamond’s brilliance.
Emerald: Vintage Vibes with a Modern Twist
This design is a rectangle with cut (as if trimmed) edges. Such processing gives the ring a vintage look. An emerald-shaped diamond appears larger than it actually is – this is a unique feature of this model. Due to the large number of facets, the emerald reflects light and shines in all its glory. An engagement ring with an emerald-shaped diamond is a choice for those who want the ring to look glamorous and somewhat vintage.
The Emerald was originally used for emeralds but became popular for diamonds in the Art Deco period of the 1920s and 1930s.
Marquise: The Shape That Maximizes Sparkle
This is a variation of the oval diamond, but its main distinguishing feature is the pointed ends. A ring with a Marquise diamond looks chic and bright. This shape also stands out with its exceptional brilliance due to the many facets on the stone. Interestingly, the Marquise diamond shape was created at the request of King Louis XV, who ordered this shape to imitate the shape of his mistress’s lips. The Marquise cut remains popular to this day.
It was named after the Marquise de Pompadour, the mistress of King Louis XV, and was designed to resemble the shape of her smile.
Cushion: Soft Corners, Big Impact
A square or rectangular diamond with rounded corners. They have a visual similarity to a pillow, from which the name cushion was derived. This shape looks romantic, tender, and unusual. A cushion diamond has many facets, and due to its shape, the stone reflects light in a special way. This shape is actively used in modern models of diamond rings and is mainly chosen for occasions such as engagements.
The cushion form, also known as the “pillow cut,” was popular in the 19th century and has made a comeback in recent years due to its vintage appeal.
Pear: A Unique Shape That Stands Out
The pear shape is an unusual type of diamond ring. In fact, this diamond combines the shapes of Marquise and Oval. A pear-shaped diamond is suitable for those who want to stand out. And a pear-shaped diamond of the same weight as a round diamond looks larger and brighter due to the huge number of facets.
It also known as the “teardrop” cut and is often used in pendants and earrings as well as rings.
Asscher: Step Back in Time with Art Deco Charm
This diamond has cut corners, resembling an octagon. This type is very rare, as it requires the use of crystalline pure crystals as raw material. The average number of facets on an Asscher diamond is 57. This makes the stone emit incredible brilliance. Asscher is chosen by true connoisseurs of expensive gifts.
The Asscher type was developed by the Asscher family in 1902 and is known for its step-cut facets and square shape with cropped corners.
Radiant: A Cut Above with Extra Sparkle
Radiant diamonds are rectangular type with rounded corners. This shape emerged as a result of the fusion of two types: princess and emerald. The resulting hybrid turned out to be so beautiful that it received a separate name – radiant. The precious stone looks very effective as a piece of jewelry, and a ring with it will shine incredibly.
The radiant type was developed by Henry Grossbard in 1977 and combines the brilliance of the round cut with the elegance of the emerald form.
Heart: A Shape That Symbolizes Love
The diamond has the shape of a heart with a pointed top and a rounded bottom. The precious stone is cut to reflect light and emit dazzling brilliance. The heart diamond symbolizes love and romance and is ideal as a gift for a loved one, including as an engagement ring. The Heart diamond is chosen by those who want the diamond to convey the fullness of love and the breadth of feelings.
It has been popular since the 15th century and is often used in romantic jewelry pieces.
Trillion: Daring and Distinctive for Bold Brides
This type is a triangular-shaped diamond, and with good quality cutting, it maximally reveals the brilliance and sparkle of the precious stone. Trillion gives the ring a unique stylish look. The triangular shape allows the ring to stand out due to its original design. Trillion has many facets, which distinguishes it with incredible brilliance.
The trillion cut was developed in the 1960s by the Henry Meyer Diamond Company and is known for its triangular shape and brilliant facets.
Shape Your Style: Best Shapes for Every Hand and Finger Type
When buying a precious stone for an engagement, you should pay attention not only to the shape but also to the style of the jewelry, as this will determine how the ring looks on the hand and finger. It is important to understand that different diamond shapes suit different types of hands. Therefore, it is so important to consider the nuances to make the right choice.
Old Soul or Modern Muse? Shape Your Ring’s Personality
On slender hands with long fingers, oval, pear-shaped diamonds look good. The Marquise shape is also successful. The elongated shape of diamonds emphasizes the beauty of long and slender fingers.
For short and wide fingers, round diamonds, cushion, princess are suitable. This shape hides flaws, focusing attention on the brightness and beauty of the cut diamond itself.
For delicate small hands, diamonds in the shape of a heart or trillion are literally created. These uniquely shaped diamonds look harmonious, adorning the beautiful hands of their owner.
Set to Shine: Maximizing Your Diamond’s Beauty with the Right Setting
A diamond of different cuts and shapes can also be of different styles. In modern jewelry art, diamonds are produced in modern, vintage, and other styles. The chosen style will help form the individuality of your image.
- Vintage. This is the choice of conservatives. Vintage-style diamonds such as Asscher, cushion, with their retro notes, are ideal. Also, emerald-shaped diamonds with their cut corners look like jewelry with a significant history.
- Modern Style is represented by princess diamonds (square-shaped diamonds with sharp corners), radiant (square or rectangular diamonds with rounded corners), trillion (triangular-shaped diamonds). These decorations look stylish and fashionable. The jewelry is suitable for modern, young girls.
- Classic Style is represented by round diamonds. The round shape is suitable for any age, for any shape of the hands and fingers of its owner. The round diamond does not go out of fashion over time; it is always relevant and pleases with its unique brilliance.
- Romantic. To correspond to it, you should choose diamonds in the shape of a heart or cushion (square or rectangular diamond with rounded corners). These diamonds embody high feelings, as well as the purest and eternal love.
Let Your Diamond Shape Tell Your Story
To reveal the true beauty of a diamond, a properly selected setting helps. The external appearance and brilliance of the diamond directly depend on the setting, which can be of the following types.
- Halo. This is a ring made of small diamond chips that surround the main large cut diamond. This type of setting looks very beautiful on heart-shaped and trillion diamonds. The unique setting makes the ring original, conveying all the beauty and brilliance of the precious stone.
- Solitaire. This is a classic setting that reveals the beauty of the main precious stone. It is ideal for round, oval, Marquise diamonds. The solitaire does not distract attention, allowing the main stone to be the center of attention. Such a setting is the best solution for those who want the engagement ring to be elegant.
- Pavé. This type of setting consists of small diamonds connected to each other. Such a setting encloses the main precious stone in an elegant ring. Pavé looks very stylish and complements the brilliance and beauty of princess, radiant, cushion diamonds.
Choosing the right setting largely determines the appearance of the diamond itself and, accordingly, the ring with the precious stone.
Conclusion
Choosing the shape and style of a diamond for an engagement is an important step that requires careful preparation. The diamond ring should match the style and reflect the individuality of its future owner. Having studied the types of shapes and styles, types of settings for diamonds, it is not difficult to choose the perfect piece of jewelry that will delight with its beauty for a long time.