When reading about or buying diamonds, the terms 'cut' and 'shape' are used almost interchangeably. In fact, cut and shape are two different criteria, and understanding the difference between them makes it much easier to purchase a stone that will hold its value.

Precious Stone Cut

The cut of a precious stone refers to its proportions and its ability to reflect light, not the shape in terms of 'round' or 'square'. Good proportions allow a precious stone to reflect the maximum amount of light, creating a higher brilliance and sparkle.

If a stone has a cut that is too deep, light will be lost out of the sides, if it is too shallow, light will escape through the bottom. These both compromise the shine and fire of the stone.

Diamond cuts are measured on a standardised scale, whereas the cut of gemstones is usually assessed and labelled by the jeweller. All of our certified diamonds are independently assessed and certified by the International Gemological Institute.

Learn About Different Diamond Cuts

Precious Stone Shapes

The shape of a precious stone refers to the overall shape and there are as many different types as there are varieties of stones. Different shapes are usually chosen based on the quality and size of the stone, but as a rule larger stones tend to have more facets and more elaborate cuts. Here is our quick guide to the most common shapes you will find:

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Asscher

Asscher-cut stones have a wide table that emphasises its clarity. They are square in general shape, with cut off corners for a slightly rounded look. The Asscher shape is very similar to an emerald-cut stone, except that emerald-cut stones have a rectangular shape.

Because both shapes highlight the clarity of the stone, it is important to check that your Asscher-cut stone has a good clarity and colour.

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Cushion

Also known as 'pillow-cut stones', cushion-cut diamonds and gems have large facets and rounded corners. This enhances the brilliance of a stone and it is important that cushion-cut diamonds have a high clarity.

The general shape of a cushion-cut stone is that of a square with rounded corners. Cushion-cut stones have a softer shape than other square-like cuts, and have been popular for over a century. Cushion-cut stones can vary from square to rectangular, so always double check the overall shape of your stone.

View Our Cushion Cut Diamond Collection

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Emerald

This beautiful shape is cut with rectangular facets and has a large, open table. This emphasises the clarity and colour of the stone and creates high brilliance and shine.

Emerald-cut stones have an overall rectangular shape, but can vary between an elongated rectangle to a squarer shape. It is very similar to the Asscher cut, but Asscher-cut stones have an almost completely square shape.

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Heart

Heart-shaped stones create a distinctive look and have a high level of reflection. Their shape can vary significantly between an elongated or rounder heart-shape, but this should not compromise the proportions of the stone.

View Our Heart Cut Diamond Collection

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Marquise

The marquise shape produces delightful stones and can be used to maximise the carat weight of precious stones, giving you a larger looking stone and high reflection.

The general shape of marquise stones is an elongated oval with pointed ends. This shape is very flattering for rings, as it makes the fingers appear longer and slimmer. Marquise-cut stones look particularly good in combination with pear-shaped or round stones.

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Pear

Pear-shaped precious stones have a teardrop shape with one rounded end and one pointed end. They give a distinctive look and are very popular in rings and pendants; as they make the fingers appear longer and slimmer, and look particularly graceful when hung from a chain.

View Our Pear Cut Diamond Collection

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Princess

Princess-cut stones have a square shape with pointed corners. This gives a bright fire and a bold, glamorous style. Princess-cut diamonds can vary between perfectly square and more rectangular shapes, but a perfect square is always desirable.

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Radiant

A truly beautiful shape, radiant-cut stones have a generally square shape with trimmed corners. This shape produces irresistible brilliance and remains a very popular shape for diamond jewellery. Radiant-cut stones vary in their degree of rectangularity, so this shape offers many different options.

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Round

By far the most popular diamond shape, round-cut stones have been perfected for over a hundred years, giving you excellent fire and scintillation. A round cut diamond usually gives you the best chance for a balance of cut, clarity and colour grades within your price range. Simple and versatile, round-cut diamonds remain amongst our best-selling pieces.

View Our Round Cut Diamond Collection