Diamond engagement rings come in all different shapes and sizes. One of the first questions most ladies ask themselves is, what shape are they? Would they like a traditional round brilliant cut, princess cut (square) or fancy cut diamond ?
The round brilliant cut diamond has 58 facets, and is considered one of the most brilliant diamonds for sparkle. Some love the traditional shape, because it was the same as their mothers. Others like the symmetry of the circle with 6 claws. While shape is important for sparkle, it is not the greatest factor which determines the diamonds sparkle. Cut quality is much more important than shape when looking for diamond engagement rings. If you want the brightest cut diamond and sparkle that you can have, aim for a perfect Russian cut diamond like the Passion8.
The princess cut diamond typically has 65 facets, and is square in shape. The princess cut diamond really only became popular in the 1990’s. While the princess cut diamond is sometimes seen as a more modern shape, the straight lines of the diamond really suit styles with shoulder set princess cut diamonds. When princess cut diamonds are channel set together they always sit flush without any gaps. The long parallel lines of the princess cut line up nicely with a straight parallel channel. While some believe that a princess cut diamond can never sparkle as much as a round, there are some that can. A Passion8 princess cut diamond can return 99.9% of the light that enters it, back out through the table.
The term fancy cut diamonds really encompasses all the other shapes, ranging from Marquise, Oval, Heart, Radiant and Asher or Emerald. The emerald and asher cut diamonds are the ones that stand out from the rest. The emerald and asher cut diamonds have what’s know as an “Ice and Fire” or “Crystal” look. Whereas the other shapes have the “Brilliance and Fire” When considering whether one of these cuts are for you, it is a good idea to consider if you are going to love the diamond as much in 20 years time as you do today.
Which ever diamond you choose, make sure it is a well cut one, and it will bring you years or enjoyment. After all, a diamond is not like a bottle of wine, its not going to get better over time.
