Diamond Shapes

Round Brilliant

Round brilliant is the most popular cut. It’s clear to see why with its beautiful light-reflecting qualities and superior sparkle.The round shape maximises light and brightness, making a perfect classic engagement ring.The symmetrical shape and 58 facets offer a stunning sparkling display of light performance while hiding inclusions. 

“The facet arrangement of a round brilliant does a great job at hiding inclusions. However, to reach maximum sparkle and get the full potential out of a round brilliant diamond, we recommend choosing an Excellent cut (EX) or Very Good (VG) cut grade.” 
Alison, Co-Founder of Alicia J Diamonds
Why choose a round brilliant cut?
  • It is the only cut the GIA can issue a cut grade for, making them significantly higher in value and popularity.
  • Round brilliants are a timeless classic that will never date.
  • The light-reflecting qualities create a wonderful, bright diamond with superior sparkle.

Princess Cut

One of the most popular diamond shapes, square or slightly rectangular princess cut diamonds are classic, chic and timeless. Princess cut diamonds have 58 facets positioned similarly to round cut diamonds, meaning a princess cut is known as the square version of a round brilliant. The square has sharp edges and looks like an inverted pyramid. It’s an excellent alternative to emerald cuts for people who like a squarer shape but want the fabulous sparkle of a brilliant cut. 

“Princess cuts can give the illusion of a larger diamond, compared to other shapes with the same carat weight. However, if not cut to a high standard, light does not reflect how it should, which can make the stone appear smaller.” 
Roshan, Co-Founder of Alicia J Diamonds
Why choose a princess cut?
  •  Unlike other square shapes, Princess cut diamonds have great fire and brilliance, similar to round brilliant.
  • Princess cuts use about 80% of the rough diamond (many others only use 50%-60%), so retain more of the original carat weight. Less waste mean a more economical choice.
  • Princess cuts have clean lines and a geometric shape, which suggests a sophisticated modern elegance.

Emerald Cut

The emerald cut is a rectangular shape, with long step cuts and linear facets, usually arranged in parallel down the stone. These long lines provide flashes of light, rather than an all-over sparkle. It’s a strong, elegant and sophisticated shape, with quite different qualities to a brilliant round. Emerald shaped stones tend to appear larger than rounder diamonds with the same carat weight, making it a popular choice for those wanting a big bold stone. 

“Emerald cuts tend to be more cost effective per carat than most cuts. However due to their glassy nature, Emerald cuts highlight the clarity and colour quality of the diamond. We recommend a clarity grade of VS2 and higher to ensure an eye-clean diamond.” 
Roshan, Co-Founder of Alicia J Diamonds
Why choose an emerald cut?
  • The elongated lines help give the appearance of longer, slimmer fingers.
  • Tapered edges make it one of the more durable cuts.
  • Emerald cut diamonds’ large facets and step-cut pattern create an illusion of a bigger diamond.

Asscher Cut

The Asscher cut is a stylish and unique square-cut diamondwith a vintage, antique look and feel. You will find many 1920’s style rings have an Asscher cut. Although similar to an emerald cut, the Asscher cut’s 58 facets are larger and wide-cut. While an emerald cut is rectangular, Asscher cuts are square with truncated corners, giving an almost octagonal shape. 

“Brilliant cuts such as round or princess cuts do well at masking the colour of a diamond. Asscher cuts, on the other hand, are step cuts which puts more emphasis on the clarity of the diamond. Therefore, we recommend a minimum of a VS2 Clarity and H colour.”
Alison, Co-Founder of Alicia J Diamonds
Why choose an asscher cut?
  • The Ascher cut is more durable than other square diamond cuts as it has no sharp pointed corners. 
  • Because its shape is so similar to a natural diamond crystal, there is minimal waste during the cutting process making them excellent value for money. 
  • It is a unique shape, perfect for those who are lovers of Art Deco and vintage designs. 

Marquise Cut

The more unusual marquise diamond has the advantage of both length and width, while still being very elegant. Its length gives the illusion of a larger diamond, and offers a flattering elongation effect for shorter fingers. The appearance of a marquise cut can vary depending on the length to width ratio. 

“How narrow or wide you want your marquise diamond to be depends on personal preference. However, a length to width ratio of 1.75 – 2.15 is considered the classic marquise cut.”
Alison Cooper, Co-Founder of Alicia J Diamonds
Why choose a marquise cut?
  • A long marquise cut gives the illusion of a larger diamond. 
  • The marquise is complimentary on slender hands with long fingers, but also offers a flattering elongation and slimming effect for shorter fingers. 
  • Marquise diamonds offer an impression of a larger carat diamond for a more affordable price.  

Oval Cut

Oval cut diamonds are a popular choice for engagement rings, as a twist on the classic brilliant-cut. The oval cut offers similar brilliance and fire to the brilliant-cut diamond, with the flattering elongated shaping of the marquise. Oval shaped stones tend to appear larger than rounder diamonds with the same carat weight, making them popular with those who want the appearance of a larger stone, without having to spend more for a higher carat weight. 

“If you enjoy the rounded design and brilliance of a round brilliant cut, but want a stone with more character, an oval diamond is a great choice. In addition to this, oval diamonds are generally priced lower than round brilliants.”
Roshan, Co-Founder of Alicia J Diamonds
Why choose an oval cut?
  • Oval diamonds optimise carat weight, meaning they often appear larger than a round diamond of the same carat weight.
  • The elongated shape flatters the fingers, making them appear longer and slimmer. 
  • Oval cut offers similar brilliance to a round brilliant.

Radiant Cut

The radiant cut can be very striking. It is often popular for radiant cut diamonds to be surrounded with a halo of smaller diamonds, creating a more contemporary style of engagement ring. Because of its bevelled corners, radiant cut engagement rings are less likely to chip, making the shape a good option for those with an active lifestyle. 

“For radiant cuts we recommend a minimum of H colour and S12 clarity. As for the cut, the GIA and other gem labs don’t grade the cut quality of fancy shapes such as radiants. Therefore, we recommend seeking the assistance of an expert to judge the cut quality.”
Alison Cooper, Co-Founder of Alicia J Diamonds
Why choose a radiant cut?
  • The bevelled corners of a radiant cut mean they are less likely to chip. 
  • There’s very little diamond rough wastage in the production of radiant cuts, making them a more affordable choice. 
  • The radiant cut offers a contemporary look that goes well with most settings and designs.  

Pear Cut

Sometimes known as the tear, the pear cut is similar in elegance to the marquise cut. Often designed with a halo of surrounding stones, it creates a wonderfully flattering shape on the hands, making it a popular choice for engagement rings.  

“A pear-shaped diamond should have gently rounded shoulders and wings. If too flat, the stone will appear too narrow. If too rounded, the stone can appear short and stubby. To strike the perfect balance, seek the advice of an expert.”
Roshan, Co-Founder of Alicia J Diamonds
Why choose a pear cut?
  • The elongated shape makes the finger appear longer and slimmer. 
  • Combines the best of both the marquise cut and the round brilliant cut into a unique diamond shape. 
  • Pear cuts are priced more competitively than round brilliants, making them great value for money. 

Heart Cut

Often referred to as the ultimate symbol of romance, heart-shaped diamonds are one of the most popular fancy cuts. This unique cut requires skilled craftsmanship. You may find the shape becomes more defined as the size of the diamond increases.  

“When choosing a heart cut diamond, symmetry is paramount. It’s very important that the stone is cut to proportion and each side of the stone mirrors the other exactly. Therefore, we strongly advice choosing a diamond with an excellent cut rating.”
Roshan, Co-Founder of Alicia J Diamonds
Why choose a heart cut?
  • It is an extremely modern cut, perfect for those who want to steer away from antique or vintage-looking designs.  
  • The heart cut is a versatile cut that looks great in a ring, pendant, earrings or another piece of jewellery. 
  • When cut to a high level of quality, heart-shaped diamonds have stunning brilliance.  

Cushion Cut

Simply put, a cushion cut diamond is in the shape of a cushion or pillow – it’s usually square with rounded edges, but can be rectangular, again with softened edges. Cushion cuts typically have 58 facets, and although they’re generally less brilliant than round brilliant diamonds, cushion cuts have great fire. Diamond fire is what we call the beautiful optical effect of white light breaking into a rainbow of colours due to refraction. This fire is what makes cushion cut diamonds an appealing choice for many. 

“Cushion cuts have a different pattern of sparkle to round brilliant and princess cuts, but this does not mean they are any less beautiful. The best way to determine if the sparkle of a cushion cut meets your desires is to see one in person.” 
Alison, Co-Founder Alicia J Diamonds
Why choose a cushion cut?
  • They’re extremely durable due to their rounded edges.
  • The 58 facets disperse light, creating fire, brilliance and sparkle.
  • Cushion cuts come in a variety of cuts and shape variations: short, elongated, square and rounded designs make cushion cuts a versatile choice.
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