Diamond Shape Education: What You Should Know

How do your dreams take shape? At National Diamond Brokers, it can be any way you wish.

With an exceptional collection of both traditional and fancy diamonds, National Diamond Brokers offers a full array of high-quality stones, all of which are certified by GIA or AGSL. What’s more, we provide a broad selection of cut, clarity and color to meet budgets in every range - from FL to SI2 clarity, D through J color and Ideal, Very Good, Good or Fair cuts.

Every diamond shape is unique, giving each stone distinctive characteristics to best determine quality. Select a shape below and learn how to recognize these characteristics. Or, if you have additional questions, please feel free to contact us anytime at PHONE or EMAIL.

Round Diamonds
Refined by nearly 100 years of advanced study of light behavior and precise mathematical calculations, the round, or “brilliant,” diamond is the most popular diamond available today. With extraordinary fire and sparkle, round diamonds offer exceptional flexibility for balancing cut, color and clarity, giving you the ability to achieve maximum beauty for any stone.

To select the best possible round diamond, always look for stones within the two highest cut grades along with ideal, excellent or very good polish and symmetry grades.

Princess Diamonds
An exquisite choice for engagement rings, princess diamonds feature a square shape with pointed corners to produce unparalleled brilliance. Important considerations when choosing a princess diamond include color grade, as the characteristic pointed corners make color more visible. In addition, princess diamonds may vary from more square to more rectangular, which affects how the diamond appears when viewed from above.

If you prefer a more square shape, select length-to-width ratios between 1 and 1.05. For a more rectangular shape, select length-to-width ratios above 1.10.

Emerald Diamonds
Nothing accentuates the clarity of a stone more than an emerald diamond. Cut with precise rectangular facets to produce a large, open table, the emerald diamond is a uniquely elegant choice. Because the clarity of the diamond is so finely displayed with emerald cuts, it is important to review the clarity plot of your stone to locate any visible inclusions.

Like princess diamonds, emerald cuts may vary in the degree of rectangularity, with the length-to-width ratio playing an important role in overall appearance. If you desire a classic emerald shape, select a length-to-width ratio between 1.30 and 1.40. However, if you prefer a more square shape, consider the Asscher diamond

Asscher Diamonds
Developed to provide the brilliant clarity of an emerald cut with a square shape, the Asscher diamond features precise rectangular facets to highlight the clarity of a stone. As such, it is important to fully review the clarity plot of a stone to locate any inclusions. Plus, because color will be more visible in the square corners, low color grade stones may not be appropriate.

National Diamond Brokers guarantees that each of our Asscher diamonds have a length-to-width ratio between 1.00 and 1.05 to preserve the beautiful square cut.

Marquise Diamonds
To maximize carat weight and accentuate finger length, choose a marquise diamond. with its characteristic diagonal shape, marquise diamonds provide exceptional brilliance and are especially attractive when set with round or pear cut side stones.

Length-to-width ratios are an important consideration for marquise diamonds. To ensure the most traditional shape, select a stone with a length-to-width ratio between 1.75 and 2.25.

Oval Diamonds
Akin to the round diamond, oval diamonds highlight a stone’s brilliance and they are a particularly good choice for showcasing slender fingers. As with many diamond shapes, length-to-width ratio is an important consideration. For optimal shape, choose an oval diamond with a length-to-width ratio between 1.33 and 1.66.

Radiant Diamonds
Full of fire and very versatile, radiant diamonds feature trimmed corners to produce the unique shape of a rounded rectangle. Although beautiful as solitaires, radiant diamonds are showcased when round or baguette diamonds are set as side stones.

With variations that range from more square to more rectangular, the appearance of a radiant diamond will depend upon the length-to-width ratio. If you prefer a more square shape, select a stone with a length-to-width ratio between 1 and 1.05. If you prefer a more rectangular shape, select a stone with a length-to-width ratio above 1.10.

Pear Diamonds
Given its distinctive shape with one rounded end and one pointed end, pear diamonds combine the best aspects of round and marquise shaped stones. What’s more, an elongated pear diamond can even slenderize the fingers while providing exceptional fire and brilliance.

When considering the length-to-width ratio, keep in mind that traditional pear diamonds have a length-to-width ratio between 1.45 and 1.75.

Heart Diamonds
Bringing two of the most preeminent symbols of love together, the heart diamond is an exquisite choice for engagement rings and anniversary gifts. When selecting a heart diamond, color grade is an important consideration as color may be more visible in the corners. Length-to-width ratio is also significant, as traditional heart shapes have a length-to-width ratio between .9 and 1.10.

Cushion Diamonds
With rounded corners and larger facets, cushion, or “pillow,” diamonds have fascinated diamond enthusiasts for over a century. Of course, the larger facets highlight a stone’s clarity and brilliance, so it is essential to review a stone’s clarity plot to locate any visible inclusions.

Available in shapes that range from more square to more rectangular, cushion diamonds are an excellent choice for any setting. If you prefer a more square shape, select a stone with a length-to-width ratio between 1 and 1.05. If, however, you prefer a more rectangular shape, select a stone with a length-to-width ratio greater than 1.15.