No jewellery purchase is loaded with as much love, sentiment and excitement as an engagement ring. It’s an item you hope will sit on your partner’s finger for decades to come, so it must make the right impression. Though you know your partner better than anyone else, jewellery tastes are very personal – it isn’t easy to pick out a piece that will be ever-present on their hand. Engagement ring diamond shapes will influence the aesthetic of a ring, and therefore it’s a great idea to study stone shapes first and see if there’s a style that makes you immediately think of your betrothed.
Here you’ll learn all about the importance of the cuts and shapes of a diamond and how these can be carefully chosen to suit your loved one. By exploring the different engagement ring diamond shapes, you’ll understand how to find a stone that suits your partner’s style and fashion aspirations, and you’ll discover how to pick a ring that fits their hand. When it’s time to pop the question, you’ll have a ring that speaks volumes about your love and that your partner will be delighted to accept.
A Cut Above the Rest
When a diamond is pulled from the earth in its natural form, though often pretty, it is not the glittering jewel we’re accustomed to. Diamonds are cut to create a specific shape, with many facets being made to let light interact with this stone in the most attractive manner. Diamonds twinkle in many different colours because their cut facets act like tiny mirrors, reflecting the objects around them. Clever cuts, therefore, produce the most impactful light show.
Different diamond shapes are recreated in jewellery using a specific regime of cuts. The shape refers to the overall appearance of the diamond. It is different from the cut of the diamond. However, somewhat confusingly, the term “cut” is often used when referring to the shape, and these two terms are commonly used interchangeably.
A diamond’s shape refers to its geometric outline, which will obviously contribute greatly to the ring’s overall appearance. We’ve come to associate certain shapes with different eras; some offer a feminine feel, some a vintage vibe, and others simply feel modern.
Choosing the Right Engagement Ring Diamond Shape
There are several factors to consider when choosing the best diamond shape for an engagement ring, and personal taste should be at the top of your list of priorities.
Think carefully about your partner’s style, trying not to focus too much on the current trends they’re following. Think more about their overall preferences when it comes to fashion and jewellery. From the vintage feeling cushion-cut diamond to the angular and modern princess-cut, you can cleverly reflect your partner’s individuality within their ring – and it will make them adore the jewellery all the more.
You can even consider your loved one’s finger length when choosing your diamond, ensuring it helps to enhance their appearance. Oval, pear and marquise diamonds all have the effect of elongating the finger – ideal for those with shorter digits. These shapes won’t make the ring finger look stubby nor make the ring look crowded. For wider fingers, opt for fancy diamond shapes such as teardrop and emerald cut diamonds.
The shape of a diamond will influence the price of your engagement ring. Certain shapes, such as round diamonds, are more expensive due to their enhanced brilliance (the amount of light the stone reflects) and popularity. If you need to buy a smaller diamond, as you’ll discover, certain shapes magically make the stone look larger. What’s more, if you need to buy a diamond that isn’t the highest quality in terms of diamond gradings, you can also choose shapes that hide imperfections.
If money isn’t an issue when buying an engagement ring, use the shape of the diamond to showcase its high grading, using cuts that allow you to see deep into the crystal-clear heart of the stone. To attain this uniformity of perfection while still sticking to a slightly lower budget, consider opting for lab-grown diamonds rather than the more expensive natural, mined diamonds. Advancements in the growth of lab diamonds mean that exquisite, high-quality diamonds are available at a lower price point.
So, in addition to cost considerations, the best diamond ring shape depends upon the recipient – what they like and what will look best on their finger. You can now go on to explore ten of the most popular diamond shapes to help you get one step closer to finding “the” engagement ring.
Ten Popular Diamond Shapes for Dazzling Engagement Rings
Understanding engagement ring diamond shapes can make choosing your ring far easier, and we’ve got ten popular styles to fill you with inspiration and ideas.
Round-Cut Diamond
An enduringly popular engagement ring diamond shape, a stone cut this way offers unbeatable sparkling brilliance and works well within a variety of settings. Invented in 1919 by the esteemed Polish diamond cutter Marcel Tolkowsy, a round-cut diamond will pack a punch, even if it’s not large. The classic shape (nearly 75% of all diamond rings feature this shape of stone) means that few would find it doesn’t fit their style aesthetic.
This particular shape is known to maximise the fire of a diamond – the coloured flashes of light that bounce off the facets cut into the stone. This makes a round diamond a real thing of beauty, and when you first propose and place the ring on your partner’s finger, you’ll enjoy watching them admire the fire as they rotate their hand back and forth.
Whether you’d like a ring with a single diamond or several, a round diamond works well. Indeed, if it’s accompanied by more stones, this is one of the best diamond shapes for long fingers.
Don’t let the rather whimsical name mislead you. The princess-cut diamond is a striking square or rectangular cut of diamond that not only feels regal but contemporary too. Indeed, it’s a relative newcomer to the diamond scene, developed in the 1970s. This geometric design looks trendy and makes a statement alongside business attire, accentuating the angular lines of suits.
The facets of this diamond shape provide plenty of brilliance, and if you’re looking to work to a budget and need to opt for a single or lower-carat diamond, this shape can really help a diamond shine to its fullest.
A shape that highlights the clarity of a diamond – if you can afford a great quality stone – the cuts used here can produce a truly enchanting engagement ring. Featuring a rectangular step cut and an open table with cropped corners, this diamond evokes the Art Deco movement and creates a glamorous ring. If your partner likes to feel like a million dollars, choosing an engagement ring brimming with vintage charm will allow them to spend the rest of their life feeling chic.
One of the best diamond shapes for short fingers, the emerald-cut diamond, when set vertically, can elongate a finger. Your partner will love staring into their decadent stone, admiring the box-of-mirrors effect.
This pretty yet dramatic shape differs only from an emerald cut in that the Asscher cut is square, not rectangular. Again, popular during the Art Deco period, this shape of diamond will appeal to those who enjoy this vintage era.
Named after its creator, Joseph Asscher, this shape has been gracing rings since the beginning of the 20th century. The nature of the cuts means that this shape can show imperfections in lower-carat diamonds; therefore, an Asscher cut is most spectacular when applied to a great-quality stone.
This clever shape can make a diamond look larger than it actually is, making it a wise option if you need to spend less on a diamond. This fancy shape feels unique and elegant with its tapering ends that add length to the appearance of the ring finger.
Your partner may relish the story of the invention of the marquise cut. Legend tells us that the French King Louis XIV asked his jeweller to cut a diamond to represent the lips of the influential socialite, the Marquise de Pompadour.
This feminine shape suits those who like the softer, romantic style of jewellery. An oval-cut diamond offers almost as much glittering brilliance as a round-cut diamond. A longer diamond, it looks superb on individuals with slender hands as they accentuate this feature. Although this shape feels traditional, it was actually only invented in the 1960s by Lazare Kaplan.
Not as commonly chosen as other diamond shapes, an oval-cut diamond engagement ring feels extra special, as you won’t encounter a similar style too often. Like the marquise cut, opting for this shape creates a clever illusion of a bigger stone if you need to purchase a ring with a smaller diamond.
As the name suggests, this shape produces a stone that radiates light and colour. It boasts deep-cut facets that allow light to reflect off the rock dramatically, so while the form looks simple and elegant, the impact is still there.
Square with rounded corners, this shape can feel both classic and contemporary, making it one of the best diamond ring shapes for fashion lovers.
Also known as a teardrop diamond, this shape features the contrast of one rounded end, and one pointed. One of our oldest diamond shapes, dating back to the 15th century, an engagement ring featuring a teardrop diamond looks and feels vintage. It appeals to those who would prefer to steer clear of the modern cuts and to lovers of haute-couture fashion, with which this style has become synonymous.
There’s no right or wrong way to align this finger-elongating diamond. You can wear your engagement ring with the point facing up or down – it’s up to you. Whether purchasing a small diamond or something much larger, you’ll make your stone look its best by choosing the pear-shaped cut.
Engagement ring diamond shapes don’t come cuter or more sentimental than this. An adorable way to show your love for your partner, a diamond cut into the form of a heart is not only pretty but also allows plenty of facets to set the stone shimmering. Symbolic, this shape is well-suited to those who love to feature heart imagery in their jewellery.
Like oval-cut diamonds, this endearing shape isn’t often seen in engagement rings, making the piece feel unique and personal. You’d certainly want to feel confident your partner will like it before buying, but a heart-shaped engagement ring will forever be a talking point on their finger.
Cushion-Cut Diamond
Also known as a pillow-cut diamond, this shape has large facets and rounded corners, making this style ideal for high-carat stones with excellent clarity. An angular diamond, which you can select in square and rectangular styles, stones cut this way still feel romantic and delicate.
Although this shape has been around for centuries, its popularity waned with the rise of the round-cut diamond. Today, the cushion cut is enjoying a resurgence as people seek out period-feeling pieces. The ideal shape for rings that feel like antiques, this shape also offers exceptional brilliance and fire and provides sleek, clean lines for those who want an impactful ring. Once you’ve fallen for a ring, protect this precious investment with a jewellery insurance policy you can trust. TH March has been looking after the nation’s prized jewellery for over 130 years and knows how to care for an engagement ring that means the world to you both. Offering replacements where possible from the original jeweller and providing a dedicated claims handler should you need to make a claim, your diamond engagement ring is in good hands.