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Proudly Australian    /    Ethical Choice    /    Bigger and Better Rocks    /    Real Diamonds
Apr 30, 2021
Diamonds
Different Diamond shapes pros and cons the complete guide
Our gemmologists have put together this easy to understand guide with a simple goal in mind, to help you work out what diamond shape is right for you. Unfortunately, there is a lot of false and misleading information online, this is due to companies wanting to push certain shapes. The reasons behind it can vary from trying to create new trends, get rid of slow-moving stock or bigger profit margins.
 
We have asked our gemmologists to keep an unbiased point of view and list the genuine good and bad reasons for each diamond shape. 

 

Round Brilliant


We have decided to start with the round brilliant shape as it’s always been the most popular cut. 

Pros:
  • Sparkles the most out of all the shapes. This is because of the way the facets are cut in a round diamond it maximises back the reflection of light.
  • A lot of stock is available to choose from, giving customers more options.
  • Round diamonds are always in fashion. While all the other shapes come in and out of fashion every so many years. 
  • They are the best shape for solitaire style rings.
Cons:
  • It’s the most expensive out of all the shapes ranges roughly 20-30% more than all the other shapes, the main reason is the wastage of rough diamond that is required when making a round cut. Another reason its due to having the highest demand. 

 

Oval


Pros: 
  • Oval shapes look almost the biggest to the eye out of all the shapes. The reason is because they are shallow and elongated making the spread of the diamond a lot bigger from the top.  On average ovals look over 12-20% bigger than round diamonds. 
  • They are roughly 15-25% cheaper than round diamonds, due to less wastage from the rough diamond when it is cut.             
  • Great choice for getting a larger looking stone and cheaper than a round cut stone. 

Cons:
  • Due to the elongated shape, there are less facets in the middle of the diamond, this can cause a loss of sparkle in the middle of the diamond. We call it a “bow tie” effect when it becomes very noticeable.
Note:  Some diamonds have it and some diamonds don’t. 

 

  • Tip:   Stick to our “available in showroom” or “recommended” diamond list, our gemmologists have already hand-picked oval diamonds that do not have bow ties. 
  • Tip:   Be wary of sites especially in the US that list cheap oval diamonds. Those diamonds are cheap for a reason, usually, they have large bow ties. They are often referred to as “reject” diamonds in the diamond industry.
  • Tip:   Oval diamonds are the second most stocked shape by Novita, providing you a great range to choose from. If what you are looking for it’s not in our current stock, contact us and one of our gemmologists will source it for you.

Pear


Pros: 
  • Like Ovals, Pear shapes look almost the biggest to the eye out of all the shapes. The reason is because they are shallow and one side is elongated making the spread of the diamond a lot bigger from the top. On average pears look over 12-22% bigger than round diamonds. 
  • They are roughly 20-25% cheaper than round diamonds, due to less wastage from the rough diamond when it is cut.
  • Pear shapes go well in solitaire style rings.
 Cons:
  • Not very common but due to the elongated shape in one side, there are less facets in the middle of the diamond, this can cause a loss of sparkle in the middle of the diamond. We call it a “bow tie” effect when it becomes very noticeable.

Note:  It’s not very common. 

  • Tip:   Stick to our “available in showroom” or “recommended” diamond list, our gemmologists have already hand-picked oval diamonds that have minimal to no bow ties. 

 

Cushion

 
Pros: 
  • They are roughly 20-25% cheaper than round diamonds, due to less wastage from the rough diamond when it is cut.
  • It’s a great choice for halo style rings. 
 Cons:
  • Due to their depth, they can appear smaller than other shapes in the same carat weight.

 

Emerald

 

Pros:
  • They are roughly 20-25% cheaper than round diamonds, due to less wastage from the rough diamond is required.
  • Emerald shapes go well in solitaire style rings.
Cons:
  • Because of the way the facets are cut they lose overall sparkle. 
  • They can appear smaller than round diamonds because they hold more weight in the body.
  • Because emerald cut diamonds are see through, you usually need 1 clarity higher than other shapes would to get the same result. 

 

Princess

 
Pros:
  • They are roughly 20-30% cheaper than round diamonds, due to less wastage from the rough diamond is required, and low demand. 
Cons:
  • They carry more weight in the body and depth compare to all other shapes, making them look the smallest out of all the shapes. Compare to a round cut they look around 10% smaller.
  • They do not sparkle as much as other shapes, even though they have a large amount of facets, the way the facets are aligned creates a loss of light reflection. 
  • Tip:   Princess cut diamonds are generally square, however sometimes they come slightly rectangular. Check the dimensions or contact us and we can check for you. 

 

Radiant

 
Pros:
  • They are roughly 20-25% cheaper than round diamonds, due to less wastage from the rough diamond is required.
 Cons:
  • There is nothing worth mentioning.

Tip: Some radiant cuts can be very rectangular (elongated), check the measurements or contact us and we can check for you. 

 

Asscher


Pros:
  • They are roughly 20-30% cheaper than round diamonds, due to less wastage from the rough diamond when it is cut.
 Cons:
  • They do not sparkle as much as other shapes due to the less amount of facets they have.
  • They carry more weight in the body compare to most shapes, making them look a little bit smaller in size.
  • There is a limited supply, this is due to very low demand.

 

Marquise 

 
Pros:
  • Along with Ovals and pears, the Marquise shape looks the biggest to the eye out of all the shapes. The reason is because it is shallow and elongated. On average Marquise look over 25% bigger than rounds diamonds in the same carat weight.
Cons:
  • There is not much stock available to choose from in lab grown. This is due to manufactures experiencing a lot of wastage when cutting this shape from the rough. In other words, this shape is not economically viable for manufactures and it may increase the price.
  • It can also be a little bit harder finding engagement ring designs as it is not a very commonly used shape. 

 

General Tips 

  • Tip:   If you are unsure of what shape to go for, always go for round. It’s the safest bet.
  • Tip:   If you are on a tight budget, going for shapes that are not round will help you get a bigger diamond. Round shape is the most expensive out of all the shapes. 
  • Tip:   If you want a diamond that looks as big as possible go for an oval or pear shape. 
  • Tip:   When choosing a princess cut diamond be aware that this shape looks the smallest out of all the shapes. On average a princess cut looks about 10% smaller than a round diamond.  The reason for this is because they are deep and they carry extra weight in the body. 
  • Tip:   If we don’t have in our “Available in showroom” or “recommended” what you are looking for, contact us and one of our gemmologists will source it for you.