When exploring diamonds, the term "cut"is often used to describe shape, such as round, oval or emerald. While shape is a key aspect, cut also refers to the precision of a
diamond’s proportions, symmetry and polish. These qualities influence how light moves
through the stone and ultimately how much it sparkles. Each diamond shape and cut brings its own character and style, playing an important role in the overall appearance of an engagement ring, eternity ring or wedding band.
This guide will explore the characteristics, visual appeal and advantages and disadvantages of each popular diamond cut available when shopping for rings in Hatton Garden.
Princess Cut Diamond
The princess cut is distinguished by its square shape and brilliant faceting, designed to maximise sparkle and light return. Its sharp corners and contemporary lines offer a modern elegance that appeals to many. This cut is especially popular in Hatton Garden
engagement rings as it provides a striking alternative to traditional shapes, combining
exceptional brilliance with a sleek, sophisticated style. It is also a favourite for eternity rings Hatton Garden, often set in channel settings that beautifully showcase its clean edges. Its vibrant sparkle and versatile design make it a timeless choice for a variety of ring styles.
Tips for Selecting a Princess Cut Diamond
When choosing a princess cut diamond, proportions and symmetry are key to achieving optimal light performance. While the GIA does not provide an overall cut grade for princess cuts, well-balanced proportions are what distinguish a bright, scintillating stone from one that appears flat or lacking in brilliance. Many commercially produced stones prioritise carat weight through excessive depth, often at the expense of visual appeal.
A length-to-width ratio close to square preserves the classic form of the princess cut, though slight elongation can still be visually appealing. Aim for high symmetry and polish grades to ensure a clean, precise finish. The girdle should be sufficiently thick to protect the corners without adding unnecessary weight, as the sharp points of the square are more prone to damage. Inclusions are best positioned away from these corners to reduce the risk of chipping. Minimal or no fluorescence is generally preferable, ensuring the diamond’s appearance remains consistent across various lighting conditions.
Emerald Cut Diamond
The emerald cut is characterised by its elongated, rectangular shape and distinctive step-cut facets, which emphasise clarity and create a hall-of-mirrors effect. This cut showcases the diamond’s purity and depth, offering a sophisticated and understated elegance. Emerald cut diamonds complement a broad spectrum of women’s wedding rings Hatton Garden, from understated plain bands to diamond set designs. It captures the glamour and clean geometry of the Art Deco era, making it a distinguished and enduring choice.
Tips for Selecting an Emerald Cut Diamond
Clarity is crucial with emerald cuts, as their large, open facets reveal inclusions more easily than other shapes. Aim for a high clarity grade to maintain the diamond’s clean, mirror-like appearance.
Longer length-to-width ratios, typically between 1.40 and 1.60, are often preferred for a more elegant, slender profile. Be cautious of windowing, which occurs when light passes straight through a shallow cut, causing the diamond to appear see-through or glassy rather than lively and reflective. Prioritise excellent polish and symmetry to enhance the precision of the step cuts.
Regardless of cut or shape, always insist on GIA certification. The Gemmological Institute of America is widely recognised as the most rigorous and consistent grading authority in the industry. Its reports provide unbiased, highly detailed assessments of a diamond’s carat, clarity, colour and cut. This level of precision and reliability offers greater confidence and transparency compared to other labs, helping you make a truly informed purchase.
Cushion Cut Diamond
The cushion cut is defined by its rounded corners and gently softened square or rectangular shape, offering a romantic and timeless appeal. Its brilliant faceting combines sparkle with a vintage charm, making it a favourite for those seeking understated elegance. With its classic yet softly antique-inspired character, this cut remains a popular choice for those exploring Hatton Garden London engagement rings. Its versatility allows it to pair beautifully with both traditional and contemporary settings, making it a truly enduring choice.
Tips for Selecting a Cushion Cut Diamond
Traditional cushion cuts generally appear smaller on the finger compared to other shapes of similar carat weight. Since carat measures weight rather than size, two diamonds of the same carat can look quite different depending on their proportions and cut. Deeply cut cushions are common as they retain weight, but this often results in a smaller face-up appearance and reduced brilliance. It is preferable to choose a stone with ideal depth and table percentages, which can be found on a GIA certificate, to ensure better light performance and a more impressive visual size. Trying on diamonds with varying proportions will help you find the best balance of size and sparkle.
Most clients prefer diamonds within the D to F colour range, as these grades offer the
highest level of whiteness. When choosing a diamond, it is essential to assess colour
carefully, as subtle differences can affect overall appearance. Always ask your jeweller if you can view the stone in natural light, ideally outside, where colour nuances become more apparent. This will help you select a diamond that looks stunning in all lighting conditions.
Asscher Cut Diamond
The Asscher cut is recognised for its square shape with stepped facets, creating a distinctive shimmer and a captivating interplay of light and shadow. Unlike the elongated emerald cut, the Asscher’s more compact form offers a striking depth that draws the eye inward. This cut appeals to couples in Hatton Garden seeking strong vintage character and refined architectural style. Its blend of bold geometry and subtle sparkle makes it an elegant choice for those wanting a design that stands apart while honouring classic heritage. When it comes to designing your Asscher cut diamond engagement ring, many couples choose to set the stone slightly higher to make it easier to achieve a flush fit when selecting Hatton Garden wedding rings further down the line.
Tips for Selecting an Asscher Cut Diamond
When choosing an Asscher cut diamond, clarity is paramount. This cut’s large, open facets make inclusions more visible, so aim for a high clarity grade to ensure a clean appearance. Strive for a stone that is as close to perfectly square as possible, as slight deviations can affect the cut’s distinctive symmetry and overall balance.
As with all diamond shapes, Asscher cuts can sometimes show signs of BGM, which refers to brown, green or milky undertones present within the body of the diamond. These can reduce the visual quality of the stone and are best avoided where possible.
Carefully reviewing a GIA certificate and viewing the diamond in person will help ensure you select a stone that showcases the Asscher cut’s refined beauty at its best.
Marquise Cut Diamond
The marquise cut is defined by its elongated shape and pointed ends, offering a distinctive elegance that draws the eye along the finger. Its stretched silhouette not only creates the illusion of a larger stone but also lengthens the appearance of the finger, resulting in a slender and graceful look. This makes it a striking option for those seeking maximum visual impact without increasing carat weight. Its shape also lends itself particularly well to custom eternity rings Hatton Garden.
In engagement rings, marquise cuts are commonly set in either claw or rubover settings. Claw set marquise diamonds typically feature V-shaped claws at each pointed end. While this creates a minimalistic appearance, it is generally advisable to include additional claws towards the centre of the stone for enhanced security and stability.
Tips for Selecting a Marquise Cut Diamond
When choosing a marquise cut diamond, the bow tie effect is a key consideration. This dark shadow across the centre is caused by uneven light reflection. While some bow tie is normal, if it is too dominant the eye is immediately drawn to it, which can significantly reduce the stone’s visual appeal. For this reason, diamonds with a large or very dark bow tie often cost less.
The pointed ends of a marquise are more prone to damage, so inclusions and blemishes near the tips should be avoided. Aim for balanced proportions to maximise brilliance.
Pear Cut Diamond
The pear cut diamond is defined by its distinctive teardrop shape, combining a rounded end with a pointed tip. Its form creates a bright, lively sparkle and a soft taper that flatters the engagement finger with an elongating effect. Unlike more symmetrical cuts, the pear’s unique shape offers a striking balance between boldness and elegance. In modern Hatton Garden engagement rings, the pear cut is increasingly popular among those seeking a design that feels both classic and distinctive.
Tips for Selecting a Pear Cut Diamond
The pear cut diamond shows colour most clearly near its pointed tip, so opting for a higher colour grade will help minimise any yellowing in this area.
Seek a smoothly rounded base and a sharply defined, well-centred point to ensure balance and a well-proportioned shape. Clarity around the tip deserves careful consideration, as inclusions there can affect durability. While some bow-tie shadowing is to be expected, avoid stones where it appears very dark or covers too much of the surface. Ratios are largely a matter of personal taste, but very low ratios tend to create a broad outline that can interrupt the natural flow of the stone.
Oval Cut Diamond
The oval cut diamond is celebrated for its elegant, elongated shape, which enhances both the perception of finger length and the diamond’s natural brilliance. Its refined proportions and complex faceting maximise the play of light, creating a vibrant display of fire and scintillation. Favoured for its versatility, the oval cut has become one of the most sought-after choices of the year. Oval cut diamond engagement rings pair effortlessly with a wide range of Hatton Garden wedding rings, offering a beautifully balanced and enduringly sophisticated look.
Tips for Selecting an Oval Cut Diamond
When selecting an oval cut diamond, the bow tie effect can make or break the stone. This dark shadow across the centre is a common feature of the cut, but when too pronounced, it distracts from the diamond’s beauty. Diamonds with a minimal bow tie are far more desirable and do carry a premium. The absence of that dark, central area is crucial to achieving a clean, uninterrupted brilliance, making it a worthwhile investment.
Elongated shapes are especially popular, with many clients preferring length-to-width ratios between 1.4 and 1.55. It’s important to remember that carat refers to weight, not size. Two oval diamonds of the same carat may differ significantly in their face-up measurements, so dimensions should always be checked.
In the UK market, D, E and F colour diamonds remain in strong demand. Graded as
colourless on the GIA scale, these stones are favoured for their pure white appearance.
Round Cut Diamond
The round cut diamond, also known as the round brilliant, is the most popular diamond
shape, celebrated for its exceptional light performance and classic appeal. Its perfectly symmetrical facets are expertly designed to maximise fire and scintillation, delivering unrivalled sparkle. Ideal for traditional engagement styles, the round cut offers timeless elegance that never goes out of fashion. Widely favoured in Hatton Garden, it remains the go-to choice for Hatton Garden engagement rings, wedding bands, and eternity rings.
Tips for Selecting a Round Cut Diamond
Many of the considerations for other diamond shapes also apply to round cuts, particularly aiming for high colour grades, excellent ratings for cut, polish and symmetry, and avoiding fluorescence.
Round cut diamonds are generally more forgiving when it comes to inclusions, allowing
some flexibility with clarity grades.
For those interested in selecting a truly exceptional round cut diamond, it’s worth exploring the Rapaport Diamond Specification list. This system further categorises round stones into 15 tiers, from A1 to A5, B1 to B5, and C1 to C5. Although quite technical, investing the time to understand it can make a significant difference in quality and value. It is important to note that this classification is separate from the GIA grading, which remains essential. The Rapaport Diamond Specification list provides an additional framework to help assess the stone more precisely.
Summary
Every diamond cut has its own distinct character, and the right choice is ultimately a
reflection of personal taste. It is not just about how the diamond looks, but how it feels to the wearer, whether it speaks to their style, sentiment or sense of tradition. What suits one person may not suit another, which is why trying on different shapes is so valuable. Visiting reputable and experienced Hatton Garden jewellers offers the chance to explore a range of styles in person, with expert guidance to help you find the diamond that feels just right.
