Diamond shape or cut shape?

People often talk about the cut or the cut shape when what is actually meant is the shape of a diamond. To be distinguished from this is the technical term “Cut” (in German: “Schliff”), which describes the criterion of the degree of cut of a diamond, i.e. the quality not the shape of the cut.

Effects of the (cut) shape on the price per carat

The brilliant achieves the highest price per carat of all diamond shapes. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that, statistically mathematically, more diamond material is lost when grinding a round stone with a corresponding number of facets than with other so-called “fancy” shapes, such as rectangles, squares, drops or oval shapes. On the other hand, brilliant-cut diamonds are the most sought-after of all shapes because they best showcase the fire and proverbial brilliance of a diamond. The exemplary illustration shows you the savings that you can achieve with a shape other than a diamond, assuming the following quality criteria as an example:

The prices per carat or per fraction of a carat are the same for brilliants with otherwise the same characteristics such as color, cut grade, fluorescence, etc. within the following ranges:

Carat Weight: 1,00 bis 1,05

Note: The degree of cut is particularly relevant for brilliant diamonds. For all other shapes, the degree of cut does not have such a significant influence on the value or price of the diamond.

Brilliant cut diamonds

A brilliant is a round cut diamond. In the upper part, the so-called crown, the diamond has at least 32 facets (plus a table). In the lower part, the so-called pavilion, a brilliant has at least 24 facets (plus possibly culets).

The brilliance and fire of the brilliant

The light entering a diamond is reflected by the smoothly polished surfaces and facets, refracted several times and split into a variety of colors, the so-called spectral colors. The depth and table of the stone as well as the angular relationships between the pavilion and the crown determine the brilliance, fire, scintillation (luminescence) and scattering of the diamond - i.e. the properties that can be perceived visually. A brilliant that has the geometrically determined attributes of an excellent degree of cut and excellent symmetry and also has an excellent polish regularly achieves top values ​​for these optical properties. Diamonds that meet these criteria are also called Triple-X stones (EX EX EX). .

The brilliance and fire of the brilliant

In 1910, the brilliant cut was developed, which replaced the old cut as the most common type of cut. The cut increased the fire of the diamond and was therefore more popular from then on. The brilliant belongs to the category of facet cuts , which became known in the 15th century. Initially only the natural octahedral surfaces were polished. But as the brilliant cut developed, cutters discovered that additional facets enhanced the diamond's radiance. This is how the brilliant was ultimately developed with at least 56 facets.

Princess cut diamonds

After the classic round diamond, the so-called princess cut is now the second most popular diamond shape - especially in the USA. The lower part (pavilion) of the diamond has many facets similar to the brilliant. This makes the princess cut the rectangular diamond shape with the most fire. Its special brilliance and unique shape make it particularly popular for use in engagement rings.

When viewed from above, the princess cut diamond looks square, often square, and has pointed corners. Viewed from the side, the lower part of the Princess Diamond looks like an upside down pyramid. The geometric shape of the diamond can vary. The dimensions of the stone, or more precisely the length-width ratio, determines whether the diamond is rectangular or square when viewed from above.

Stones with a length-to-width ratio between 1 and 1.05 are considered square. On the other hand, if you are looking for a rectangular stone, choose one of the values ​​greater than 1.10. In relation to the choice of color quality, this diamond shape is e.g. B. more demanding than brilliants: especially in the corners of the stone, any coloring becomes increasingly visible as the color quality decreases.

History of the Princess Cut

The Princess Cut is a relatively new cut form. In the 1960s, the princess cut was first seen as a way to give a diamond a square shape that had the same facets as a round diamond (brilliant). Cutters worked and researched on an optimal angular shape until the brilliance this gave the stone came very close to a brilliant. The Princess has thus developed into a modern alternative to the classic diamond. Because of its square shape, it also had the advantage of weighing more carats than a (round) brilliant with a comparable diameter.

Emerald cut diamonds

The emerald cut, also known as emerald cut, gets its unique appearance from the rectangular facets on the underside of the stone, the so-called pavilion. The emerald cut is characterized by elongated, step-like facets (step cut) and is therefore one of the step cuts. These cuts - in contrast to the Brilliant Cuts - show the clarity of the diamonds particularly well , but have less reflections or brilliance. Similar to the princess cut, emerald diamonds differ in shape: the length-width ratio provides information about whether the diamond is elongated or wide.

History of the Emerald Cut

The emerald cut was originally developed - as the name suggests - to cut emeralds (Latin smaragdus = green stone). Due to inclusions and cracks, emeralds tend to be more brittle , which is not affected by the step-shaped cut with an extremely large table developed for this purpose. Over time, diamond cutters transferred this cut shape to diamonds because the emerald cut could be used to create elegant, understated pieces of jewelry. The emerald cut also finds a variation in other diamond shapes such as the Asscher.

Asscher cut diamonds

When viewed from above, the Asscher diamond looks like a square with rounded corners. The shape is similar to the emerald shape. However, an Asscher is always square, with proportions around 1.00 or 1.05. Just like with the emerald cut, the step-like facets (step cut) are characteristic of this shape. Most Asscher diamonds have 58 facets , but so-called Royal Asscher diamonds can have as many as 74 facets . Despite the similarity to the emerald diamond, the Asscher cut has more brilliance due to its proportions. The rectangular facets of the underside in combination with a relatively large table mean that purity plays a particularly important role in Asscher cutting.

History of the Asscher Cut

The Asscher cut was developed in 1902 by Joseph Asscher. He patented the cut with three steps in the crown and seven steps in the pavilion. However, the Asscher cut has changed over time, so that today it usually only has three to four steps in the pavilion and therefore shines more. In the mid and late 1920s, cutting experienced a real boom. In 2001 another version of the Asscher Cut was developed. The new variant received 74 facets (including the culet) and the name Royal Asscher Cut.

Navette cut diamonds

The Navette diamond, also called the marquise cut, has an oval shape with two points at opposite ends. The cut generally has 56 or 58 facets , including the culet. The perfect A length-to-width ratio for the Navette is between 1.75 and 2.25 . Values ​​below or above have a noticeably negative impact on the special visual effect of this shape. The shape of the cut, with the two points, makes the diamond appear significantly larger than it actually is and also makes the wearer's fingers appear longer and narrower.

History of the Marquise Cut

The marquise cut was supposedly created by King Louis XV. instructed. The Sun King wanted a diamond in the shape of the mouth of his beautiful lover, the Marquise de Pompadour. This is where the name marquise cut comes from. The cut has been continually developed since then and today shines in full force. The cut enjoyed particular popularity in the 1960s and 70s.

Oval cut diamonds

An oval diamond is similar to a brilliant. In contrast to the round shape, the oval diamond, as the name suggests, appears oval when viewed from above. Just like the brilliant, the oval diamond, with its 56 facets , has a high level of brilliance. It is particularly popular with women with smaller hands as the elongated shape makes the fingers appear long and narrow.

History of the oval cut

The history of the oval cut as we know it today is still young. While oval cut shapes have existed for a long time, the facets did not correspond to the cut that is now referred to as oval cut. The current cut shape was first cut by Lazare Kaplan, a Russian grinder, in the 1960s.

Baguette cut diamonds

The baguette cut, also called radiant , appears rectangular or square and has flattened corners. The shape combines the elegance of the emerald shape with the typical sparkle of a diamond. The difference to the emerald cut is that it is a hybrid of the step and brilliant cut. The baguette cut originally had 70 facets , but today it comes in very different forms and is particularly popular with 66 facets .

History of the Radiant Cut

The original radiant cut was developed by Henry Grossbard in 1977 . The goal was to develop a diamond shape that has a rectangular shape and at the same time shines like a brilliant. Herny Grossbard did not use mathematics or a computer program to develop the cut, but rather worked on diamonds until he discovered this shape. The baguette cut was one of the first patented cuts. However, today the cut is accessible to everyone.

Teardrop cut diamonds

The pear cut is also often called the teardrop cut due to its shape. The shape is round at one end and pointed at the other end. The teardrop cut is a combination of a brilliant and a marquise cut. The advantages of the shape are the strong brilliance due to the many facets of the cut as well as the elongated shape, which flatters the wearer and visually lengthens her fingers.

History of the Pear Cut

The teardrop diamond is a very old cut form. The shape was developed in the 15th century by the Belgian grinder, Lodewyk van Berken from Bruges. Mr. van Berken not only invented the teardrop cut, but also a diamond polishing wheel, which enabled him to grind the facets of a diamond. He also introduced the concept of absolute symmetry of facets, which is now standard in diamond cutting. Only after these innovations did diamonds become increasingly used as jewelry.

Heart cut diamonds

The heart as a symbol of love is certainly the most “romantic” of all diamond shapes. This is why heart diamonds are particularly popular as gifts. The heart shape is similar to the teardrop shape , with the difference that an additional gap is ground into the round side of the teardrop. Typically, heart cuts have between 56 and 59 facets , with 4,6,7 or 8 main facets at the bottom of the diamond. The heart cut is characterized by strong brilliance and intense fire.

History of the Heart Cut

The heart cut of diamonds dates back to the 14th century. The Grand Duke of Milan, Galeazzo Maria Sforza, wrote about a heart-shaped diamond in 1463. Since the heart cut is very similar to the teardrop cut , many even assume that the heart of a diamond developed from the teardrop. Some even go so far as to assume that the famous cutter Lodewyk van Berken from Bruges, who also developed the pear cut, created the first heart-cut diamond.

Cushion cut diamonds

The cushion cut, as the name suggests, resembles a cushion. It has a square shape and rounded corners. It is usually ground with 58 facets . Due to these relatively large facets, the cushion cut has less brilliance than, for example, a diamond, but a high level of light dispersion, which leads to an extraordinary play of colors. It is a hybrid of the Old Mine cut and the modern Oval cut.

History of the cushion cut

The cushion cut – also known as cushion cut – has been around for over 200 years. Until the beginning of the 20th century, the cushion cut was the most common cut. The cushion cut is often also called candlelight cut. This name comes from the fact that cushion-cut diamonds shine particularly beautifully in candlelight. However, the cutting standard for cushion diamonds has changed significantly. This means, among other things, that today's cushion diamond has more brilliance and that less material from the rough diamond is lost during grinding.

Various cut shapes

In addition, there are of course a variety of other cut shapes such as the triangle, octagon, trapezoid or briollette cut and many others. You can also find diamonds in the antique jewelry trade that represent a specific shape, such as a ship or other objects. These were then ground directly into this shape on order. If you have very specific requests, Yorxs will be happy to provide them for you.

A more common form is the so-called old cut. This cut design refers to the earlier forms of the brilliant cut, when fewer facets and different proportions were used.

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