The Jewelry Hut Diamond Learning Center

Diamond Characteristics

Diamond Shape

Diamonds come in many shapes with the round brilliant cut being the most common. All the others are called fancy shapes:  Oval, Princes, Radiant, Emerald, Pear, Marquise, Kite, Trillion, Baguette, Asscher, Cushion, Half Moon, Trapezoids.  Deciding on the shape is the first step in the selection process and if you have some input from that special someone receiving the gift this could be very helpful. If not, maybe get some information from her friends.
The Jewelry Hut apply high round diamond quality standards to our fancy shaped diamonds as well. We only offer the finest fancy shaped diamonds that are graded by GIA to have FL - SI clarity, D - J color, and Excellent, Very Good, Good, and Fair Cut.
Since fancy shapes are all very different, unique characteristics determine quality for each shape.  Select your shape below to learn how to recognize the most beautiful diamond.

• Pear
  The pear shape usually has the 58 facet brilliant pattern, but can be cut with different numbers of pavilion main of 8,7,6, or 4 facets. In a pear, look for a well shaped head and even shoulders with the length to width ratio of 1.50 - 1.75.  Pear shaped diamonds work great for pendants and drop earrings.

• Heart
  The heart shape is a brilliant cut, which can be modified so that the number of pavilion mains may be 6, 7, or 8.  It is important to look for a perfectly symmetrical appearance where the lobes, top arches, are of even height and breadth and the overall shape pleasing to the eye.  The length to width ratio should ideally be 0.98 - 1.02.

• Trillion
  The trillion cut was developed in the late 70s.  The cut is an adaptation of radiant cut but it is in a triangular shape.  The trillion is a triangle that has equilateral sides and is combinations cut of the step cut and the brilliant cut diamond and when cut correctly have a wonderful brilliance. They are often cut shallow and often look large for their carat weight. Trillion diamonds are beautiful when flanking a center diamond, or in a more avant-garde piece as a center diamond. A matched pair also creates beautiful earrings.

• Baguette
  The baguette is a step cut style used frequently as side stones. Baguettes have unleveled corner, usually only two rows of facets and may be rectangular or tapered. Like the emerald cut, the baguette does not have a sparkle of a brilliant cut but has a classic beauty. Higher color and clarity are important because there are not facets to hide inclusions or body color.

• Radiant
  The radiant cut is a patented name and cut also known as cut cornered, rectangular, or square, modified brilliant on GIA grading reports. It has 70 facets, 25 on the crown, 8 on on the girdle, and 37 on the pavilion. The truncated corners help to minimize chipping. The radiant cut diamond is considered the father of branded fancy cut diamonds with a birth over 20 years ago.  Originally protected by patent, the design is now public domain.  It is the first cut to have complete brilliant fact pattern applied to both the crown and pavilion and as such presents a much more dazzling and brilliant diamond than the emerald cut.  The same ratio of 1:1.5 will provide the most pleasing emerald shape but the square shape has become very popular recently.

• Asscher
  In 1902, Asscher Diamond Co. patented a rectilinear diamond cut. Developed by Joseph Asscher, the squarish step cut’s deeply cut corners give it an almost octagonal outline.  It features a small table, high crown broad step facets,  deep pavilion and square culet. The Asscher cut was inspired by he table cuts of the Renaissance, however, it was a big departure from the brilliant cuts that dominated the 1800’s and was a forerunner of the standard emerald cut. Because of its high crown and small table, the Assvher cut has more light and fire than an emerald cut.

• Cushion
  The cushion cut diamond was one of the most popular cuts of diamonds ever. For more than 70 years from 1830 to the turn of the century this was the diamonds cut.  Sometimes referred to as a “pillow cut”, the cushion cut has an open culet, the bottom of the diamond, and a rectangular to square shape with rounded corners and a facet plan to give the diamond depth. The cushion cut diamond was cut for candle light.  This is quite different from today’s diamonds which are cut for brighter denser electric light.  The beauty of a cushion cut is the depth of the diamond.  The facets allow the eye to travel into the diamond. It’s a calmer more soothing cut than a modern cut and at a romantic candlelight dinner, the cushion is at its best.

• Half Moon
  The half moon diamonds are used mainly for side stones and have the profile of half a round or half oval diamond.  They look great with a rectangular center stone such as princess, radiant or emerald because they have one straight side. Because of the rounded edge, half moon diamonds also work well with oval shaped stones.

• Step-Cut Trapezoid
  The Trapezoid cut diamonds are used mainly for side stones and are cut in brilliant cut or step cut. The brilliant looks great with brilliant cut rectangular center stones like radiant and princess diamonds.  The step cut trapezoids are usually seen next to emerald or Asscher cut center stones.

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