The round brilliant diamond cut has long been king among all diamond shapes in the market. Lately, however, there has also been a surge in the popularity of alternative shapes such as the oval. You see many shoppers these days trying to figure out how well the latter compare in terms of many considerations such as shine, visible size, and overall look. As it turns out with oval diamonds, they possess a charm all their own.
It is generally good to be looking at, say, rose gold oval engagement rings, if you happen to be in the market for one of the following things.
- A rarer shape
- A larger stone
- Less expense on the diamond
- A unique cut
- Elegance and sophistication
- Lots of sparkle
Oval Vs Round on Sparkle
The round cut is inarguably the most brilliant among the whole share of diamond cuts you will see on the market, and this is because of its concentrated shape and faceting structure. That being the case, if you buy a stone of this shape, you are bound to get the most brilliance, fire, and scintillation. However, this does not mean choosing an oval diamond robs your diamond of these features. An oval cut stone may not possess the same kind of sparkle, but it does in fact possess one of the most brilliant shapes you can pay for. The sparkle quotient may be comparatively low next to the round, but it is nothing to be actually scoffing at.
Oval Vs Round on Size
On first look at an oval diamond, people typically measure it from the top downwards with their eyes, which gives the impression that the stone is a lot bigger that it is in actuality. The oval shape not only looks bigger this way, but also has a greater surface area than a round cut stone of the same weight. You get that when you pick an oval cut diamond, which in a sense means that you also get more value for the money you spend.
Oval Vs Round on Price
The oval cut is different from the round brilliant in a number of ways, and the one to do with diamond pricing is one you are bound to like. You end up paying close to 30% less for the stone, the reason being that oval stones simply aren’t in as much demand as round diamonds. Where most shoppers would go in for the latter, you could opt for an oval and save oodles on the rough, which does not get wasted as much as with the round cut. In fact, with the latter, you could be looking at up to 40% wastage, which is definitely a lot.
Oval Vs Round on Shape Variety
With ovals, you normally have a length-to-width ratio stretching from about 1.66 and down to 1.30. Simply put, you get a bigger range of choices on the shape when you buy a stone. 1.45 is generally seen as the most classic shape, although some women prefer longer ovals which are capable of making their fingers look slender, while other like a wider look that resembles the round. With the round cut, you get no variety whatsoever—the shape is pretty much fixed.
Oval Vs Round on Availability and Rarity
The one issue that shoppers run into when seeking out an oval cut stone is that the shape is not as readily available as the round cut. This owes to the low demand for the former, which results in them being rarer as well. Moreover, if you have strict specifications in mind, things get a lot harder, meaning you would need to roll up your sleeves and start digging around in multiple places. The silver lining is that if you do manage to acquire an oval cut stone after a long while searching, you can walk away knowing that it is definitely a unique choice that suits your beloved.
Oval Vs Round on Bow-Ties
Here too, the round brilliant scores. No round diamond ever shows a bow tie, because that imperfection is only seen in longer shapes such as the pear, the marquise, and of course, the oval. A bow-tie is a horizontal line which runs across the stone’s center when it is viewed face-up. Such a thing does not always look bad in an oval cut stone though. You just need to be sure the imperfection is not severe, and things would be just fine. It also bears remembering that after the stone has been mounted face-up, any and all bow-ties would show up starkly.
The above is a comparison of the oval and round cuts based on various aspects which have a bearing on diamond beauty and worth. As always, it is best to research well before settling on either cut, or one of the alternatives.