The Diamond Guide
Diamond Shapes
Shape is the outline of the stone, and it is usually the first thing someone knows they want. It also quietly changes the price, because shapes differ in how much rough diamond they waste.
Round
The most studied shape in the trade and the most brilliant, because its proportions have been optimised for light return for a century. It is also the most expensive per carat, since cutting one wastes the most rough.
Elongated shapes
Oval, pear and marquise stretch the finger and look larger than their weight suggests, because more of the stone sits across the top. They can show a bow tie, a darker band across the centre, which is a function of proportion rather than a flaw, and varies stone to stone.
Step cuts
Emerald and asscher trade sparkle for clarity of line. Broad flashes instead of scatter, and a glassy depth you can look into. They are less forgiving: inclusions and body colour both show more readily, so clarity and colour matter more here than anywhere else.
Cushion, princess and radiant
Cushion is soft cornered and slightly antique in feel. Princess is square and sharp, and generally the best value per carat because it wastes the least rough. Radiant splits the difference, with the outline of an emerald cut and the faceting of a brilliant.
See it for yourself.
Albert goes through the stone and the grading report with you, under magnification, before anything is decided. By appointment, downtown Toronto.
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