Let’s dive into the world of bridal jewelry, focusing on the most important piece which is the engagement ring, the beginning of everything! As with the majority of our bridal requests, diamonds are still the most popular stone, even though more and more of our friends are getting confident with colour, a diamond still outsells other gemstones in this category by approximately 5 to 1.
In my opinion couples need to be involved in choosing or even designing the ring, after all it is celebrating their love and has a very sentimental value in cherishing their relationship. Therefore one idea for you could be to propose with a loose stone in a beautiful box or better still, to visit us together and create your dream ring which will definitely sweep her off her feet. Unless you know exactly what she is looking for based on her pinterest, instagram or posts she likes on social media or even if her best friend knows!
Here you will find a brief explanation on different shapes (notice I don’t say the word cut, that will come into something later on) with sample designs to show how each one will look when set, but remember there are endless design possibilities, I tried to limit this post to classics and all-time favourite settings in the past few years:
ROUND
is still the most requested shape in diamonds because of its incomparable brilliance thanks to 58 facets that reflect the light and create sparkle and fire. To explain this, imagine a mirror that refracts light, a diamonds facets are placed to reflect the maximum amount of brilliance and show its natural beauty to the max!
OVAL
is one of the most popular shapes from diamonds to gemstones, make sure in diamonds there is no bow tie present, if so you will see two black triangles in the middle of the stone. because of its elongated shape we have seen it grow more and more on brides. An ideal length to width ration for an oval is around 1.35 – 1.50. If you’re choosing a setting with side stones, try to choose a stone on the higher end of that ratio so it appears a bit thinner.
PEAR
Usually looks larger than its stated carat weight because of its wider spread and given that more of the stone is shown from top view. A pear-shaped diamond should have gently rounded shoulders and wings. The wings should form attractive arches. If they’re too flat, they make the stone look too narrow. If they’re too rounded, they make it look short and stubby.
MARQUISE
like oval and pear is perfect to make fingers look slender and long, their elongated shape is helping with this. Length-to-width ratio: The ideal length for a marquise-cut diamond is 1.75 to 2.25 of its width; in other words, the stone should be about twice as longs as it is wide. Although this parameter comes down to personal choice, very thin stones can have overly thin pointed ends, which could break easily.
HEART
well its the symbol of love, do I need to say more? From diamonds to gemstones it looks gorgeous, one thing to be mindful is the proportions. Make sure it is not too slim or chubby, it has to be the perfect heart. For the optimal appearance, we recommend choosing a heart shaped diamond with a length to width ratio as close to 1.00 as possible. Diamonds of this cut within the 0.90 to 1.10 range can also look fantastic, depending on your personal preferences.
SQUARE (PRINCESS) CUT
is a square or square rectangle (elongated) shape stone with rounded corners, pillow shape hence the name and very romantic! If cut perfectly can shine as brilliant as a round. Usually has between 50 and 58 facets. The Princess cut’s look is crisp perfection, so aim for as close to square as possible – that is, look for a diamond with a length to width ratio between 0.98 and 1.02, ideally 1.00.
RADIANT
A Radiant Cut diamond usually has 70 facets – 25 on the crown, 8 on the girdle, and 37 on the pavilion. On GIA grading reports it is often referred to as a “cut-cornered, rectangular (or square), modified brilliant”. It’s a common misconception that a Radiant Cut is simply a Princess Cut with the corners cut off.
If you like square or rectangular square shape, this is the best alternative to cushion and princess. The ratio you choose for your radiant diamond is entirely dependent on what you find to be the most aesthetically pleasing. A common range for radiant length to width ratios is 1.00-1.35, with the lower end indicating a more square shape. Length to width ratios can go up to 2.0 for a more rectangular shape.
EMERALD CUT
The most favourite in step cuts, both gemstones and diamonds although it has less sparkle because of geometric steps, but due to high clarity it is more transparent, sleek and elegant. Most emerald cut diamonds have length to width ratios ranging from 1.30 to 1.50. A ratio of 1.40 is considered “ideal”. However, ratios are dependent on personal preference. A lower ratio should be chosen for a more square shape, while for an elongated, more rectangular shape, a higher ratio is best.
ASSCHER/SQUARE EMERALD
Perfectly square shaped stone, actually an octagonal rather than emerald cut that is rectangular. Same characteristics in terms of sparkle and clarity. An Asscher Cut diamond is an octagonal diamond with a square shape and layered facets. The Asscher Cut features a deep pavilion and high crown—offering brilliance and its signature appeal. There are two types of Asscher Cuts. There’s the standard Asscher Cut (58 facets) and there’s the Royal Asscher Cut (74 facets).
