Top 11 Best Diamond Cuts

Round diamond cuts rank as the world's most popular diamond shapes, comprising an estimated three-quarters of all diamonds globally. What attributes contribute to their widespread appeal?

Round diamonds emanate a heightened sparkle and brilliance compared to other diamond shapes. Possessing both versatility and modernity, these diamond cuts exude a sense of style and timelessness. Their multitude of facets enables them to masterfully manipulate light and color.

Round diamonds find favor among individuals who identify with classic and traditional aesthetics. This particular cut serves as a poignant symbol of enduring love. Furthermore, due to its myriad facets, a diamond fashioned in this cut can symbolize boundless possibilities.

Renowned personalities such as Mary J Blige, Madonna, and Barbra Streisand have embraced the elegance of round diamonds.

For ideal brilliance, check these True Hearts, A Cut Above, and Astore Ideal Cuts.

Oval diamonds exhibit remarkable brilliance and are frequently chosen for solitaire rings, particularly by individuals with smaller or shorter fingers. Similar to marquise diamonds, oval cuts possess excellent light-handling properties—this attribute makes them particularly appealing to budget-conscious shoppers seeking a stone that imparts a deceptively substantial appearance.

Oval diamonds are linked to traits of uniqueness, creativity, and a zest for life. Wearers of oval cuts are often perceived as bold, innovative, and willing to take risks. The circular symmetry of oval diamonds also symbolizes an enduring promise. Couples who opt for oval cuts often embrace a lifelong commitment to love, honesty, and fidelity. The understated elegance of oval diamond designs is perfect for those who eschew passing trends and instead embrace stepping beyond their comfort zones.

Notable celebrities such as Katie Holmes, Kate Middleton, and Toni Braxton have chosen to adorn themselves with oval diamonds.

Watch 40x HD videos of oval cut diamonds at James Allen.

Cushion diamonds stand out for their square cuts featuring rounded corners, and their abundant facets create a captivating sparkle, particularly concentrated around their centers. When seen from a distance, a cushion diamond might resemble a square or even a pentagon. However, upon closer inspection, the rounded corners impart a pillow-like appearance, which is the origin of its name.

Despite their seemingly straightforward look, crafting cushion diamonds requires skilled expertise. The precise polishing of the round corners is essential to achieve impeccable optical symmetry. These diamonds boast a rich history spanning over a century, making them among the most time-honored. The cushion cut exudes a sense of class, elegance, and romance, showcasing qualities of clarity, purity, and a distinct fashion sense. Given their extensive historical roots, cushion diamonds hold particular appeal for shoppers who have a preference for the timeless classics.

Renowned figures like Brooke Shields, Giuliana Rancic, and Jennifer Garner have embraced the allure of cushion-cut diamonds.

Watch 40x HD videos of cushion cut diamonds at James Allen.

One of the defining features of radiant diamonds is their scarcity. Being so hard to come by, they also tend to occur as loose stones instead of on engagement rings. But when one finds them, one is sure to step out in style.

Radiant diamonds feature a balance of princess and cushion diamonds, radiating an elegant sparkle. Besides, these perfectly-symmetrical diamonds combine emerald cuts' purity and round cuts' brilliance. Featuring trimmed corners, radiant diamonds perform great in many ring settings.

Radiant diamond cuts are common among fun, confident, and flirty people. They are also ideal for consumers looking for a sense of class and sophistication, and due to their rarity, radiant cuts are perfect for those wishing to stand out from the crowd.

Popular celebrities with radiant cuts include Jennifer Lopez and Hilary Duff.

As the name suggests, pear diamonds bear the shape of a pear fruit while also resembling a teardrop. Pear cuts combine the round diamonds' elegance and the marquise shapes' simplicity but with slightly elongated narrow endpoints. The best way to style a pear diamond is to point the tapered end toward the hand.

Since pear diamonds resemble a mix of elegance and simplicity, they are popular among stylish people with an open and simplistic approach to life. Wearers of pear-shaped diamonds, who tend to feel unique and adventurous, are generally fun to be around. Besides, since this diamond shape also creates an illusion of size, it is ideal for people who are confident about themselves.

Celebrities who wear pear diamonds include Anne Hathaway and Catherine Heigl.

An emerald cut is one of the most exquisite and unique diamond shapes, requiring heightened skill and craftsmanship to facet. The emerald cut does not give off immense brilliance compared to other diamond cuts, such as round diamonds. Instead, it produces a figure that looks like a “hall of mirrors,” where it draws its uniqueness and elegance.

Emerald diamond cuts also feature a rectangular shape with lean facets down their sides. The pattern creates an image of stair steps, based on which consumers choose the emerald cut to symbolize a change in social status. Emerald cuts are also associated with people who are confident, glamorous, and open to taking risks.

Grace Kelly and Kate Hudson are some of the celebrities that sport the emerald cut.

The name alone exudes a royal feeling, and princess diamonds live up to its name. Princess cuts have four corners that appear sharply polished and delicate, which explains why most princess diamonds are worn with protective prongs. But besides their delicate nature, princess cuts are simple and versatile and can be experimented with virtually any ring style.

Princess cut diamonds are popular among shoppers looking for a traditional and classic appeal with a modern twist. Wearers consider themselves trendy, lively, and flirty. And since the diamond can be styled on many rings, wearers of the princess cut are believed to be versatile, outgoing, and tolerant of divergent views.

Some celebrities with the princess diamond include Christine Baumgartner and Jessica Biel.

Unlike most diamonds that get their names from their shapes, the Asscher diamond is probably the only stone whose cut is attributed to a person. Asscher diamonds are quite similar to emerald cuts, and it is in the cards to confuse the two when observing them from a distance. The main difference, however, is that Asscher cuts feature a square instead of a rectangular shape.

Asscher cuts are generally more brilliant than emerald diamonds due to their larger step facets, smaller table, and higher crown. Asscher diamonds have been around since the Art Deco era of the 20s and 30s, making them a special favorite among consumers that prefer the old and classic. The diamonds are associated with uniqueness, femininity, and elegance.

Asscher diamonds are popular among celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Pippa Middleton, Jessica Alba, Zooey Deschanel, and Reese Witherspoon.

Heart diamonds are, as the name suggests, cuts that resemble the heart. Finding heart diamonds on an engagement ring is difficult because they are predominantly used as novelties. Heart diamonds are the unmistakable symbol of timeless love, purity, and innocence and are popular among romantic couples.

Since heart diamonds are difficult to facet, it should always be ensured that they are properly examined for any flaws before purchase. Moreover, if a flawless heart diamond is desired, ensure the stone has been carefully analyzed on the ideal-scope tool and shown to be optically symmetrical. Heart shapes are popular in solitaire rings and pendants, but unlike most cuts, they do not look great in smaller carats.

Andrea Hissom and Joan Collins are celebrities that sport a heart diamond.

Marquise diamond cuts are a variant of pear and round shapes and look like a football. Associated with elegance and an outgoing personality, one of the unique things about marquise cuts is that they mostly occur as loose diamonds but look just as superb on a ring. Like oval shapes, marquise cuts appear gorgeous on long and slender fingers. The diamonds feature long, thin bodies and sharp ends that draw the observer’s eyes up, making the stone look longer and thinner.

Due to their long and elongated bodies, marquise diamonds have excellent light performance, creating a perfect illusion of size. Shoppers looking for large diamonds can settle for this shape without necessarily splashing out on more carats.

Some popular wearers of marquise diamonds include Victoria Beckham, Christina Milian, Ashlee Simpson Ross, and Portia de Rossi.

Also known as trillion or trilliant diamonds, trillion cuts are triangular, usually rounded on their sides. Trillion diamonds trace their roots to the Netherlands and are among the world’s rarest cuts. Interestingly, they are so scarce that they are mostly used as accent stones around the center diamond.

Also, trillions are not as sparkly as other cuts, such as the red brilliant. However, they have a saving grace in their excellent light performance. Like the marquise and oval cuts, trillion diamonds have elongated facets that trap maximum light and reflect it to the stone, enhancing its size.

Trillion diamonds are popular among people that wish to deviate from the norm.

Elizabeth Hurley is an example of a popular wearer of trillion cut diamonds, though the trillions on her ring accentuate the center stone, a 9-carat sapphire.