The quality of a diamond is determined by assessing its four quintessential factors; the cut, clarity, color, and carat weight. Needless to mention, the cut of a diamond is the most crucial factors since it directly affects the light performance and, thereby, the sparkle of a diamond. Of course, the main factor that attracts people towards a diamond is its brilliance and fire. In other words, the sparkle of a diamond is the main element that makes it distinct from other gemstones. Note that there are mainly ten diamond cuts; the conventional round brilliant cut and other 9 fancy diamond cuts.
Even though the first image that may pop into your mind when it comes to a diamond cut will be the round brilliant, it will be extremely challenging for you to zero in on one particular option. After all, every cut has got its own unique appeal and properties. In order to figure out which diamond cut suits you the best, it will be better to go through the pros and cons of each diamond cut. Below are some of the popular diamond cuts along with its pros and cons. You may refer to this and decide on the diamond cut that suits your style and personality.
The Round Brilliant Cut
This is the most popular diamond cut so far and is known for their timeless appeal and extreme sparkle. In fact, 75% of the total diamonds manufactured in the industry are round. If you have no idea about the diamond cut that suits you the best, choosing round brilliant cut diamond ring will be the best and safest choice since it can never go wrong under any circumstances.
The pros
- The round brilliant cut diamond is beautified using 58 strategically organized facets that offer the best brilliance to the gemstones. Unsurprisingly, round brilliants are the most brilliant diamond cut options so far. The conical structure of round brilliant diamonds creates an inimitable sparkle by tunneling the light entering the diamond to its crown.
- Round brilliants diamonds are versatile since they look spectacular in every diamond ring setting. On a related note, while a round brilliant diamond looks elegant on a solitaire setting, it will be unbelievably captivating when set in an intricate ring setting.
- Round diamond cut suits almost every finger type.
The cons
- Round brilliant diamonds are extremely expensive because of its immense popularity.
- The rough diamond wastage to design a round brilliant cut diamond is more when compared to the fancy cut diamonds adding to its cost.
The Radiant Diamond Cut
The radiant diamond cut is a remarkable blend of the princess and cushion diamond cuts. This relatively new diamond cut features a perfect balance between elegance and stylishness. In fact, radiant cut diamonds are designed to enhance the brilliance of the brilliant cut diamonds. Note that radiant cut diamonds feature a deep cut to maximize the refraction of the light entering the stones and, thereby, its brilliance. Unlike other fancy diamond cuts, radiant cut diamond is rare and it will be hard to find at most retail jewelry stores.
The pros
- Brighter and sparkling than any other fancy diamond cuts, as the name indicates.
- It tends to stand out on any finger type and ring setting. If you love traditional designs, you may go for a solitaire radiant cut ring. Otherwise, a radiant diamond ring with baguettes on side will be perfect for the stylish women.
- Even though the silhouette of the radiant diamond cut resembles a square, it features eight corners.
- The radiant diamond cut does not feature any pointed edges and it is less likely to get damaged when struck by an object. Plus, it will not snag on your clothes or any other fabrics. This makes radiant cut diamond rings a great option for daily wear.
- The brilliance and unique faceting pattern of the radiant diamond cut tends to mask the yellow color tints and inclusions in the stone. That is, you can purchase radiant cut diamond rings that feature the appeal that you are swooning over at an affordable price.
The cons
- As mentioned above, you can rarely find radiant cut diamond rings at jewelry stores and hence, the range of selection will be limited.
- Since the radiant diamond cut features deep cut, the diamond may look smaller than its actual carat weight.
The Marquise Diamond Cut
Another popular fancy diamond cut is the marquise, which is an appealing combination of the princess diamond cut and oval diamond cut. This ancient diamond cut was actually designed in the French court of Louise XIV, apparently as a compliment to the attractive smile of his mistress, Madame de Pompadour.
The pros
- The cut is extremely brilliant making it stand out from the crowd
- The unique profile of marquise cut diamonds is perfect to make the finger of the wearer look elongated and slimmer.
- Marquise rings can be used as statement pieces by accenting it with other diamonds. One of the most popular options, in this case, is a marquise baguette ring.
- Marquise diamond rings tend to mask the internal flaws
The cons
- Marquise diamonds tend to feature bowtie that can sometimes ruin the appeal as well as the hardness of the gemstone.
- Since marquise diamonds feature pointed tips, they are vulnerable to damages, unless secured by appropriate diamond ring settings such as V prongs, bezel setting, etc.
