The terms ‘cut’ and ‘shape’ of a diamond can be confusing for a novice, but they are not one and the same. One has to understand what is a diamond cut before trying to make out this nuance.
Cut is the skilled work that creates the shape of a diamond. There are many types of diamond cuts out there. There is the round diamond cut, which is also shaped the same. Then there are diamond shapes that are modified from the round brilliant cut.
The cut and shape are interchangeable terms in some, but not in all cases. For instance, a diamond can be cut into the round, oval, or emerald shapes. When used in reference to the cut, it is called a round, an oval, or an emerald diamond cut. These terms can also be used interchangeably to refer to the shapes. However, it does not work the same way for all fancy cut diamonds. For instance, a princess cut diamond’s shape can be square or rectangular.
The Characteristics of Diamond Cut and Shape
By now, you might have understood the basics of the cut and shape, yet there is more to this explanation. While the shape of a diamond refers to its form, the cut describes how its proportions reflect the light. The cut of the stone determines its overall beauty as well as dazzle in three important ways: the proportion, symmetry, and polish.
How they interact with as well as against one another affects the way the light moves inside the stone. In a well cut diamond, the light enters through its table or the top portion, reflects off its angles between the facets on its crown and pavilion, and exits out through its top.
All that natural light bouncing around in the stone creates three more things that you might come across in diamond marketing.
- Brilliance:The brilliance of a diamond is created by the combination of the white natural light reflections on as well as within the stone.
- Fire:It refers to the color flashes you see in it.
- Scintillation: This refers to the shine that occurs when a light source or diamond moves.
Taken together, they are the reasons why a diamond catches your eyes and appears to glow from inside. That dazzle is made by the light, which reflects and refracts off its angles and facets.
The Effect on Appearance
In a diamond that is badly cut, it goes in the stone’s top portion, leaks out through its sides, and ends up appearing dull to the naked eye. The stone may even be larger by weight, and therefore, would be pricier. That is because not much of the rough material was cut away in order to provide for that shine.
A slightly rectangular or square diamond, which consumers might hear described as a princess cut, is the second most popular option after the round diamond for engagement rings. This is also called a modified brilliant cut, which can also have the shine and fire of its brilliant cut cousin. In fact, most of the fancy shapes can be cut “brilliantly” to enhance its shine and dazzle, comprising the marquise, pear, heart, and cushion.
More than anything else, the cut quality of the stone determines the overall beauty as well as appeal. The cut is one of the four C’s of a diamond, meaning that is a key thing when it comes to the grading of the stone. It is all about math, science, and geometry – how a skilled worker cuts a diamond’s facets as well as angles to allow the light to shine through it.
While different, the cut and shape work together to make an overall impact of a diamond you select for an engagement ring. They both contribute to the overall style of an engagement ring.
Popular Cuts and Shapes
For most soon-to-be-wed couples, the shape of a diamond is the first thing to consider when shopping for the jewelry piece. Most people either select a round brilliant diamond or princess cut diamond for it. In general, the round diamond is the more classic shape, while the princess cut stone is a more modern one for engagement rings.
The other way the cut of a diamond impact the stone can be seen in its price. Fancy shaped diamonds are less expensive than round counterparts. The round brilliant diamond is considered the dearest shape because more of the rough or raw diamond has to be removed to get this round shape to perfection. Aside from the scrap, it also results in specialized labor cost, and all that shows in its price.
On the contrary, an emerald or oval diamond makes better use of the raw material, as less diamond rough is necessitated to be removed to create such stones. Each 0.01 diamond carat of scrap equates to money lost. For a diamond manufacturer who handles a big volume, this can snowball into large amounts.
