Many think that there is no difference between the shape and the cut of a diamond, but this is not true. It is understandable why they confuse the two – some diamonds are cut into the same shape, so the wording used for both are alike. Some examples are round, oval, heart and pear.
You can click this link to know things about each diamond shape, but first of all, you should know how it is different from the cut. This is important to make the right purchase for your fiancée or girlfriend.
What is Diamond Cut?
The cut is one of the many aspects that is looked at when a diamond is graded. A gemstone cutter always tries to cut a diamond for the maximum sparkle. How they cut angles and facets on the stone to make the light that enters sparkles through it, dramatically affects its beauty. In other words, how well a diamond is cut will determine beyond just the way in which it shines.
The light gets into the ‘well-cut’ stone through the ‘table’ portion, reflects from the angles amid the side facets, and leaves it out of the top. These angles are known as the pavilion and the crown. So the cut affects the light performance of the stone.
What is Diamond Shape?
On the other hand, shape refers to how a diamond appears. The names of some shapes are different from the wording used to describe some cuts. For example, an Asscher cut diamond is an octahedron, and the marquise cut stone looks like an NFL football. There are more examples, but hope you got the big picture by now. The cut and shape are different, but these elements work to make an impact on the whole for your engagement ring.
How They Affect the Price
Those same people who interchangeably use cut and shape in diamond-related communication do not know that both characteristics are taken into account when determining the cost. For easy explanation, let us just say that a diamond’s cut influences how much it sparkles, hence it affects the price.
The shape of a diamond is most visible. More popular diamond shapes are often priced at a premium since these are more sought after. By the same token, less popular diamond shapes tend to be retailed at a marked-down price.