How Different Cuts Can Give You Different Looks

Anyone who knows anything about diamonds knows there are four things that set the quality and value and they are cut, colour, clarity and carat. Whilst the carat or size of a diamond is very important, particularly if are having a solitaire setting, the cut of the stone is actually the thing that brings out the best quality in the stone.

There are many different types of cuts which suit different settings. There are several areas of a diamond that help form the cut - the crown which is the top, the girdle which as the name suggests is the widest part, and the pavilion which is the base - the part that is 'set' into the jewellery, the balance of these parts achieve the brilliance of the stone.

Here are some details of the more popular cuts.

Emerald
A rectangle shape with cut corners, most commonly used to cut Emerald stones, hence its name, this cut accents the clarity of the stone, however will not have as much brilliance as other cuts.
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Heart
Popular for both solitaire diamond  Costume Jewelry necklaces as well as solitaire rings this romantic cut generally has 59 facets and is a modification of the round brilliant cut to create the heart shape.

Oval
Suited to someone who may have small hands or fingers, the symmetrical oval shape gives the illusion of elongating the wearers hand. It still exhibits the same brilliance as the round cut and stones of the same carat can look larger due to the shape.

Pear or Teardrop
As the name suggests this diamond cut is oval in shape with one end pointed and the other rounded similar to a pear. Actress Elizabeth Taylor famously owned a 69-carat pear shaped stone that she wore as a necklace.

Princess
Whilst most commonly square, this shape can also be rectangle and is the second most popular shape for diamonds.Pearl Jewelry Although cut differently to the round brilliant the princess cut still exhibits the same high grade of brilliance. Due to the large flat crown this cut makes an ideal shape for a diamond necklace.

Round Brilliant
This is the most common of all the cuts and makes up about 75% of all diamonds sold. This cut has 58 facets Pendant Jewelry through the crown, girdle and pavilion. The facets are important for the reflection and refraction of light which gives a diamond its sparkle. As the proportions and shape of the round brilliant are so perfect this shape is the most popular for engagement rings.