Diamond Shape and Cut = Apples and Oranges.
Yes, yes, yes...I know you have heard about the 4 C's (cut, color, clarity and carat weight) and its importance in understanding them when purchasing a diamond. The 4 C's are important becasue this is how a diamond is valued. I won't go into detail about the 4 C's - that wil be addressed in other posts. What I want to address is the confusion between CUT vs SHAPE. CUT and SHAPE are two very different things. Diamond shape and diamond cut are often used interchangeably - even with jewelers when it comes to diamonds so it makes things even more confusing for the average person.
Purchasing diamond jewelry can be daunting and is not as straightforward as buying a new appliances for your home or a new handbag. We at Robert Palma Designs understand that.
In brief, CUT is the property that determines the brilliance and sparkle factor of the diamond - CUT has the biggest effect on a diamond's beauty. Cut refers to the facets, symmetry, dimensions and reflective qualities of the diamond. When a diamond is poorly cut, light leaks out from the pavilion facets of the diamond which diminishes its brilliance and sparkle. In a well cut diamond, light that is drawn into the diamond will reflect and refract back into the viewer’s eyes as brilliance and fire. CUT is arguably the most important factor that affect a diamond’s appearance but sadly, most jewelers or websites only provide a simplistic coverage on cut and don’t offer sufficient information in helping you make the best choices.
SHAPE however , refers to the form of the diamond while cut refers to how the diamond's proportions reflect light. Each shape has its own unique properties which affects how spakly the diamond will appear.
Here is a list of the most popular shapes:
The Round shape is hand down the most available and popular shape - its high number of facets makes it the sparklies of the bunch, which perhaps also explains why it's the most popular. Every shape other than round is considered, "FANCY". As of late, the CUSHION shape has been one of biggest diamond trends in Hawaii but the elongated oval and princess shapes are also very popular. Since we primarly deal with custom designs, I have been using a lot of pear shaped diamonds. There are dozens more diamond shapes than the ten most common.
You should consider shape when buying a diamond ring because it will affect how the ring looks on your finger. Women with shorter fingers should try on elongated styles such as a pear, oval, marquis, and avoid wide bands that give the illusion of even shorter fingers.
Square shapes such as radiant and princess are best for women with long fingers as they make them appear shorter.
Women with larger hands may want to avoid very slender, delicate ring settings and narrow diamond shapes like the emerald or the marquise, as they will not look proportional. Heart and round shapes are better for larger fingers, and likewise not flattering to thin fingers. It's important to try on a variety of styles for contrast, even if they aren't your first choice.
Jewelry, especially diamonds should last forever. Jewelry is not just sentimental, it’s also an investment. For this reason, it’s vital to make sure you’re not overpaying for your gems upfront. Inflated retail prices are one of the easiest ways consumers overpay. That is why we ONLY sell CERTIFIED DIAMONDS at the wholesale price level! We guarantee that you will not find the same quality diamond anywhere else in Hawaii. If, within 7 days of making your purchase you find a lower advertised price than our net price on an identical diamond at an established jewelry business in Hawaii, we will match that price plus give you 2% cash back.
Visit us at: RobertPalmaDesigns.com
