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Lab Diamond shapes
Mar 10, 2023
Diamonds
The Complete Diamond Shape Guide Pros Cons and Tips. Which Diamond Shape is Right for You?

 

What diamond shape is right for you? We understand at Novita, how difficult it is to work out what shape best suits you. This is why our gemmologists have put together this easy to understand guide with a simple goal in mind, to help you work out what diamond shape is right for you. Unfortunately, there is a lot of false and misleading information online, this is due to companies wanting to push certain shapes. The reasons behind it can vary from trying to create new trends, get rid of slow-moving stock or bigger profit margins.

Our gemmologists have kept an unbiased point of view and listed the genuine pros and cons for each diamond shape to help best inform you. 

 

Round Brilliant


Let's start with our most popular cut, the round brilliant shape.


Pros:
  • Out of all the shapes, it sparkles the most. This is because of the way the facets are cut in a round diamond it maximises back the reflection of light.
  • Our customers have more options as there is a lot of stock is available to choose from.
  • Round diamonds are classic and always in fashion. While all the other shapes come in and out of fashion every so many years. 
  • For solitaire style rings, they are the best shape.
Cons:
  • In the natural diamond industry round Diamonds tend to be 20-30% more expensive. HOWEVER, in the lab grown diamond industry is the other way around, round diamonds can be slightly cheaper than some of the other shapes. This is another advantage of lab created diamonds over mined diamonds.

 

Oval


Pros: 
  • Out of all the shapes, oval shapes look the biggest. This is because they are shallow and elongated making the spread of the diamond a lot bigger from the top.  On average ovals look over 12-20% bigger than round diamonds. 
  • They are roughly 15-25% cheaper than round diamonds, due to less wastage from the rough diamond when it is cut.             
  • Cheaper than a round cut stone and great choice for getting a larger looking stone. 

Cons:
  • There is a loss of sparkle in the middle of the diamond. This is because of to the elongated shape which means there are less facets in the middle of the diamond. We call it a “bow tie” effect when it becomes very noticeable.

Note:  Some diamonds have it and some diamonds don’t. 

 

  • Tip:   Stick to our “available in showroom” or “recommended” diamond list, our gemmologists have already hand-picked oval diamonds that do not have bow ties. 
  • Tip:   Be wary of sites especially in the US that list cheap oval diamonds. Those diamonds are cheap for a reason, usually, they have large bow ties. They are often referred to as “reject” diamonds in the diamond industry.
  • Tip:   Oval diamonds are the second most stocked shape by Novita, providing you a great range to choose from. If what you are looking for it’s not in our current stock, contact us and one of our gemmologists will source it for you.
lab made diamond rings shapes pros and cons and tips

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.
 

In summary

Discover the perfect shape for lab made diamond in UK with this guide detailing pros and cons for each shape. Round diamonds offer the most sparkle and are timeless, while oval and pear shapes appear larger. Cushion and emerald cuts suit specific ring styles, and princess, radiant, and Asscher cuts have their own unique characteristics. Marquise diamonds look large, but availability may be limited. Consider budget, appearance, and style preferences to make the right choice.

Lab created diamond rings shapes tips