Pear

Pros: 

• Similarly to ovals, Pear shapes look almost the biggest to the eye out of all the shapes. The reason is because they are shallow and one side is elongated making the spread of the diamond a lot bigger from the top. On average pears look over 12-22% bigger than round diamonds. 
• Due to less wastage from the rough diamond when it is cut, they are roughly 20-25% cheaper than round diamonds.
• Pear shapes go well in solitaire style rings.

 Cons:

• Not very common but due to the elongated shape in one side, there are less facets in the middle of the diamond, this can cause a loss of sparkle in the middle of the diamond. We call it a “bow tie” effect when it becomes very noticeable.

Note:  It’s not very common. 

• Tip:   Stick to our “available in showroom” or “recommended” diamond list, our gemmologists have already hand-picked oval diamonds that have minimal to no bow ties. 

Cushion

Pros: 

• They are roughly 20-25% cheaper than round diamonds, due to less wastage from the rough diamond when it is cut.
• It’s a great choice for halo style rings. 

 Cons:

• Due to their depth, they can appear smaller than other shapes in the same carat weight.

Emerald

Pros:

• Due  to less wastage from the rough diamond, they are roughly 20-25% cheaper than round diamonds.
• Solitaire style rings go well with Emerald shapes.

Cons:

• They lose overall sparkle due to the way the facets are cut.
• They hold more weight in the body which means they can appear smaller than round diamonds.
• As emerald cut diamonds are see-through, you usually need 1 clarity higher than other shapes would to get the same result. 

Princess

Pros:

• Due to less wastage from the rough diamond, they are roughly 20-30% cheaper than round diamonds.

Cons:

• They look the smallest out of all the shapes because they carry more weight in the body and depth compared to all other shapes. Compared to a round cut they look around 10% smaller.
• They do not sparkle as much as other shapes, even though they have a large amount of facets, the way the facets are aligned creates a loss of light reflection. 
• Tip:   Princess cut diamonds are generally square, however sometimes they come slightly rectangular. Check the dimensions or contact us and we can check for you. 

Radiant

Pros:

• Due to less wastage from the rough diamond, they are roughly 20-25% cheaper than round diamonds.

 Cons:

• There is nothing worth mentioning.

Tip: Some radiant cuts can be very rectangular (elongated), check the measurements or contact us and we can check for you. 

Asscher

Pros:

• Due to less wastage from the rough diamond when it is cut, they are roughly 20-30% cheaper than round diamonds.

 Cons:

• Due to the less amount of facets they have, they do not sparkle as much as other shapes.
• They carry more weight in the body compare to most shapes, making them look a little bit smaller in size.
• There is a limited supply, this is due to very low demand.

Marquise 

Pros:

• Along with Ovals and pears, the Marquise shape looks the biggest to the eye out of all the shapes. The reason is because it is shallow and elongated. On average Marquise look over 25% bigger than rounds diamonds in the same carat weight.

Cons:

• There is not much stock available to choose from in lab grown. This is due to manufactures experiencing a lot of wastage when cutting this shape from the rough. In other words, this shape is not economically viable for manufactures and it may increase the price.
• It can also be a little bit harder finding engagement ring designs as it is not a very commonly used shape. 

General Tips 

• Tip:   If you are unsure of what shape to go for, always go for round. It’s the safest bet.
• Tip:   If you are on a tight budget, going for shapes that are not round will help you get a bigger diamond. Round shape is the most expensive out of all the shapes. 
• Tip:   If you want a diamond that looks as big as possible go for an oval or pear shape. 
• Tip:   When choosing a princess cut diamond be aware that this shape looks the smallest out of all the shapes. On average a princess cut looks about 10% smaller than a round diamond.  The reason for this is because they are deep and they carry extra weight in the body. 
• Tip:   If we don’t have in our “Available in showroom” or “recommended” what you are looking for, contact us and one of our gemmologists will source it for you.