What You Need to Know About Lab Grown Diamond Cuts and Shapes

This is your moment! You’ve found your soulmate and you’re ready to commit for life. Your partner wants a lab grown diamond engagement ring, but you haven’t looked at diamond shapes or styles yet. Feeling a bit overwhelmed at where to begin? Don’t worry, we’ve got some tips on the different diamond cuts and shapes and what you should know about them before shopping! There are quite a few options in terms of shapes, so we will cover the most popular and well-known shapes you’ll see while you’re out and about.

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The most classic of the cuts, the round diamond has been around since the beginning of diamond engagement rings. It won’t go out of style, and it pairs well with many different band styles. When shopping for round cut diamonds, pay attention to the cut grade. To get the most brilliance and sparkle, opt for an Ideal or Excellent cut. This cut is also the “most” sparkly, so if that’s important to you, the round cut would be a great choice!

A vintage, classic cut, emerald cuts are absolutely gorgeous! Given the step-cut of this particular shape, you’ll want to pay attention to the color and clarity, because the limited facets won’t hide inclusions. Aim for a G/H color or higher, and a VS2 or better in clarity. Emerald cuts are one of the less-sparkly cuts in terms of brilliance, but are a gorgeous and timeless option.

Oval cuts have been growing in popularity, and for good reason! A very brilliant cut, ovals give a slightly larger look to your carat weight and can make your finger look more long and slender. Keep the clarity and cut grades higher on an oval to achieve the most sparkle.

This particular cut is a sharp-cornered square, and for that reason can look larger than a round cut stone of the same carat weight. It is also slightly more affordable than a round cut, but with the sharp corners it may need tightening on the prongs every now and then to keep it secure. The cut of this diamond shape combines the step cut of the emerald cut with the triangular facets of the brilliant cut. The princess is the perfect choice if you prefer a square shape but want the brilliance of a round.

The cushion cut is a rounded-off square cut, a beautiful medium between a round cut and princess cut. While still brilliant, cushion cuts are usually a deeper cut, so pay attention to the measurements of the diamond because the deeper the cut, the smaller the surface area (table) of the diamond, so it will look smaller. The main difference between cushion and princess cuts are the corners. A cushion will have rounded corners and a princess will have sharp corners.

If you’re a fan of vintage styles, a marquise cut might be a great option! An elongated elliptical shape, the marquise will give an elongated and thinner look to the hand of its wearer. Its unique shape allows the cutter to maximize carat weight, giving the appearance of a larger-looking diamond.

A trending fancy cut, the pear cut is a crossover between a round cut and marquise cut. With a rounded head and tapered point, pear shapes have many facets and are quite brilliant. They are able to hide inclusions a bit more, especially if near the point. Pear cuts will give a larger look than some other stones with their fancy shape, especially if the table percentage is higher.

Radiant shapes can be more square or elongated, and are a gorgeous option for those loving an emerald shape but wanting more sparkle. If you’re looking at an elongated radiant (more rectangular), pay attention to the measurements and ratio of the diamond itself. You’ll want around a 1:3 length/width ratio for the elongated look. Radiant cuts also give a larger carat appearance.

Very similar to an emerald cut, the asscher cut is a square cut with tapered corners and a step-cut. Beautiful for art-deco styles, these cuts will also look more beautiful with higher color and clarity grades.

For the vintage lover, the rose cut looks gorgeous in a variety of vintage styles. It is unique in the flat bottom, and because of its rounded faceted table, this cut is not a great choice if you like a lot of sparkle.

Another newer fancy shape, the hexagon is great for someone with unique taste and looks especially gorgeous when paired with an art-deco style setting.

When it comes to fancy lab-grown diamond shapes, the beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder! There are many other shapes such as the Trillion, Triangle, Rio, Baguette, and more - if you’re looking for a unique stone, check out our online inventory or reach out with your request and we’d be happy to find something special for you!