A rough diamond and different lab-grown diamond shapes

What are the Different Diamond Shapes and Which One is Best?

There are many different shapes of lab-grown diamonds available on the market today. Every shape has various benefits for appearance and visual performance. Here’s your guide to understanding those shapes.

Diamond cut diagram - Gemological Institute of America

What is the most crucial factor when choosing a diamond?

While the 4Cs are all important, cut is the most crucial factor in a lab-grown diamond’s value. It has a significant impact on the lab-grown diamond’s visual appeal, brightness, and price. A poorly cut lab-grown diamond will have a dull appearance and less brilliance than its well-cut counterpart. When light enters and exits a lab-grown diamond, it must go through the table and bezel. A poorly cut lab-grown diamond will have an incomplete table and bezel, restricting the light flow.

What are the different diamond shapes?

There are 11 commonly found diamond shapes: Round, Asscher, Baguette, Cushion, Emerald, Marquise, Oval, Pear, Princess, Heart and Radiant. The cut grade is determined by how close the cut of the lab-grown diamond comes to the ideal proportions. The perfect proportions of a lab-grown diamond make it rare and valuable.

Different diamond shapes and diamond cuts
Different diamond shapes

Round Brilliant Cut

The round brilliant cut is the most popular, especially popular for engagement rings. It has a classic and timeless shape with a modern feel. A round brilliant cut lab-grown diamond has 57 or 58 facets which allows the most has the most return of light.

Emerald Cut

The emerald cut is a square-shaped lab-grown diamond with pointed corners. It was used as an alternative cut for the marquise cut in the Victorian era.

 

The emerald-cut lab-grown diamond has a lot of facets, which is an excellent option for solitaire pieces that are meant to be more discreet.

Pear Cut

The pear cut has a lot of volume on the bottom and a narrow top. Pear cuts are best suited for earrings, pendants, and other types of jewelry. Their narrow top with an ample bottom help to maximize carat weight.

Asscher Cut

The Asscher cut is a square-shaped lab-grown diamond with clean lines. It is named after the person who created it, the world-renowned Dutch diamond cutter Joseph Asscher. 

 

The Asscher cut is best suited for solitaire pieces with a simplistic design and echoes that notion through clean lines and mid-century details.

Marquise Cut

The marquise cut is a long, narrow lab-grown diamond with pointed ends. It is an excellent choice for an engagement ring as it makes fingers look longer and slender.

Summing Things Up

 

There are also many factors you should consider when looking for a lab-grown diamond, including carat weight, clarity, color, and most importantly, the cut. It determines how a diamond interacts with light and impacts its price. While the proportions of the lab-grown diamond are substantial, it is also essential to note that no two gemstones are exactly the same.