The Different Diamond Shapes

It is not surprising that diamonds don't come out of the ground perfectly ready for engagement rings. The rough diamond goes through a long process before it is shaped and polished to become the diamonds we see in rings and other jewelry. That's why it is a good idea to get to know your diamond cuts and shapes. 

This short blog is a quick run-down of diamond shapes so that when you go to pick your diamond, you know exactly what you want!

Cut or Shape?

Technically speaking, a diamond's cut is different from it's shape. While shape is about the stone's form, cut refers to the way a diamond is faceted and how sparkly a diamond looks. Most of the various shapes  and the way they are cut today weren't around for the majority of history. Cutting and shaping a diamond without losing it's carat weight and maintaining the stone's overall quality takes a highly skilled professional. Diamond cutters today have the help of modern technology such as lasers to produce shapes of all sorts that are complemented nicely by the popular Brilliant cut.  

What Shapes Do Diamonds Come in?

Diamonds can come in many different shapes; however, there are really ten distinct shapes that are used for center stones. There are other variations of diamond shapes, but we'll focus on the ten main shapes to give you an idea of what's out there. Some shapes, like Round and Princess, are more well-known and popular than ever. Let's take a look at some beautiful diamonds!

1. Round

2. Princess or Square

3. Cushion

4. Oval

5. Emerald

6. Pear

7. Radiant

8. Marquise

9. Ascher

10. Heart

To Wrap up. . . 

While photos of diamonds can give you an idea of the different shapes and how they look set in rings, it's still a good idea to take a look at the diamond you plan to buy in person. There's nothing quite like the sparkle you can encounter when you see a diamond in person. At the end of the day, you want to be completely satisfied with both the brilliance and the shape of your diamond.