Guide to Diamond Shapes

Diamond shape refers to the stone’s outline as seen from above. While the round brilliant is the most popular choice, all other shapes—known as fancy shapes —bring their own unique charm, elegance, and individuality.

ROUND BRILLIANT
The round brilliant cut is the most popular and classic diamond shape, renowned for its exceptional sparkle. With 58 precisely arranged facets, it is expertly designed to maximize brilliance and light return, creating that iconic fire and scintillation people associate with diamonds

PRINCESS
The Princess cut is one of the most modern and popular diamond shapes, known for its sharp, square or slightly rectangular outline and brilliant faceting. Designed to maximize sparkle, it offers impressive fire and scintillation, second only to the round brilliant.

CUSHION
Soft, rounded corners with a square or rectangular outline. The cushion shape blends a vintage feel with romantic sparkle, often called a “pillow-cut.”

OVAL
An elongated take on the round brilliant, the oval shape adds elegance and makes the finger appear longer. It offers excellent brilliance and a contemporary flair.

EMERALD
Characterized by long, clean lines and step-cut facets, the emerald shape is admired for its sophistication. It emphasizes clarity and a calm, mirror-like glow rather than sparkle.

RADIANT
With its cropped corners and brilliant-cut facets, the radiant shape combines the outline of an emerald with the sparkle of a round diamond — modern and vibrant.

PEAR
Also known as the teardrop, the pear shape is a blend of round and marquise, tapering to a point. It’s unique, feminine, and flattering on the hand.

MARQUISE
Long and pointed at both ends, the marquise shape maximizes surface area and creates the illusion of a larger stone. Regal and dramatic, it suits bold styles.

HEART
The ultimate symbol of love, the heart shape is instantly recognizable and deeply sentimental. It requires precise cutting for perfect symmetry.

ASSCHER
Square with deeply layered step cuts and cropped corners, the Asscher shape evokes Art Deco elegance. It offers depth and a distinctive geometric look.

Shape	Brilliance	Face-Up Size (per carat)
Princess	High	Smaller than round
Cushion	Medium–High	Slightly smaller than round
Oval	High	Larger than round
Radiant	High	Similar to round
Pear	High	Larger than round
Marquise	Medium–High	Larger than round
Heart	Medium–High	Similar to round
Asscher	Low–Medium	Smaller than round

Valuing Fancy Shape Diamonds

While round brilliant diamonds are the most traditional and widely recognized, fancy shape diamonds—such as oval, cushion, emerald, pear, princess, radiant, marquise, and asscher—offer a world of character, often at a more attractive price point. These shapes are typically 20–30% less expensive per carat than round diamonds of comparable quality. This price advantage comes largely from cutting efficiency: fancy shapes retain more of the original rough, making them more economical to produce.

That said, the value of a fancy shape diamond depends on more than just carat weight. Proportions, symmetry, brilliance, and face-up size all play a role. Some shapes, like oval and pear, appear larger than their actual weight due to their elongated silhouettes, giving the wearer more visual impact per carat.

Fashion trends also influence value. When a certain shape becomes popular—often sparked by celebrity engagement rings or runway styling—market demand rises, and so can pricing. For example, the oval cut gained significant attention after appearing on high-profile engagement rings, while emerald and cushion cuts remain desirable for their vintage appeal.

In evaluating a fancy shape diamond, it’s essential to balance the 4 Cs with the stone’s unique visual personality. A well-cut fancy shape with strong presence and balanced proportions can deliver both beauty and excellent value—especially when compared to the premium typically paid for a round diamond of the same specifications.

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