the ultimate ring guide

Diamond shapes

There are several basic shapes to choose from. The eight most popular are: round, oval, pear, marquise, princess, emerald and cushion. It’s easy to confuse the two, but it should be noted that the term “diamond cut” does not refer to its shape. While you must cut a diamond to make a shape, the shape is essentially the overall geometry or form of the diamond (round, square and so on), and the cut of a diamond refers to how its facets and proportions affect how it interacts with light—the things that give diamonds their brilliance, fire and scintillation (read: sparkle).

Often referred to as brilliant or as RBC (round brilliant cut) round diamonds are far and away the most popular shape for engagement rings, accounting for 52 percent of all diamonds sold, according to The Knot 2017 Jewelry and Engagement Study. Perfected by Polish diamond cutter Marcel Tolkowsky in 1919, round diamonds are cone