What are The Best Diamond Shapes for You ?

To answer this question, let's consider some of the factors that will determine what shape diamond is best for you.

♦ Your personal preference. This should play the greatest role in your choice. There's no point in wearing a diamond if you don't like its looks. However, most people like more than one shape. Therefore, it's helpful for them to know how the various shapes affect a diamond's brilliance, apparent size and price.

♦ The amount of brilliance and sparkle you want your diamond to display. The shape and cutting style that shows the most brilliance and sparkle is a brilliant-cut round. This is probably the biggest reason why round diamonds under three carats are more popular than other shapes. 

Emerald cuts have less sparkle than brilliant cuts, but many people like their sleek, elegant look. People who would prefer a rectangular or square diamond with more sparkle can buy a Quadrillion, Radiant, Crisscut or princess cut.

Although fancy shapes aren't normally as brilliant as rounds, when they're cut properly, they can display a great deal of brilliance. There are more factors than just shape and cutting style which influence the brilliance of a diamond. Chapter 6 will explain these in more detail.

♦ How much you warit your diamond to weigh. In sizes over three carats, fancy-shape diamonds often outsell round diamonds. This is because many people.think that large, fancy-shape diamonds look more elegant and less pretentious than large round ones. If you're buying a big diamond, see how the various shaped diamonds look on your hand. Then make your choice.

♦ How big you want your diamond to look. A lot of people want their diamond to look as big as possible, even if it doesn't weigh much. Fancy shapes generally look bigger than round diamonds of equal weight, particularly if they're elongated like the marquise and pear. The Trielle is also known for looking bigger than it weighs. The people that market it claim that it looks nearly 50% larger than a round brilliant diamond of the same weight because it's cut wide and shallow.

♦ The shape and size of your band. The shape of your diamond can give the illusion that your hand looks longer or shorter than it is. For example, a long, thin diamond set lengthwise along your finger can make your hand look longer and thinner. A broad diamond or long one set horizontally across your finger can make your hand look broader and shorter. Try on a fewm shapes and see which one flatters your hand the most.

Figure 1 - The sparkle of the brilliant-cut marquises, pears and rounds contrasted with the sleek beauty of the two emerald cuts creates a striking pair of diamond earrings. One of the emeraldcuts is 24. 04 carats and the other, 20 .14 carats.

♦ The colour and clarity of the diamond. The shape and cutting style that can best mask flaws and yellow tints is the round brilliant. In emerald cuts and baguettes, the flaws become the most obvious. What this means is that a low quality, less expensive, round brilliant can look very good to the naked eye, whereas a step-cut rectangular or triangular diamond of the same quality might look unacceptable.

♦ The availability of the shapes. Even if you like a specific shape, you may find that there is a poor selection in the size or quality you want to buy. For example, you might have a hard time finding a wellshaped one-carat marquise and end up buying another shape instead. If you have your heart set on a specific shape, ask your jeweler to find it for you. He can call around to various diamond dealers until he finds the diamond that meets your needs, but be prepared to give him the time he needs to find your stone.

♦ Your purpose for buying the diamond-pleasure or investment. If you're buying a diamond for personal pleasure, any shape you like can be a good choice. But if resale for profit is your goal, you need to consider what shapes are most in demand and are likely to stay in demand. If the diamond is less than three carats in weight, you are more likely to find a buyer for a round diamond. For stones over three carats, you will probably find it hard to find an immediate buyer no matter what shape you buy, mainly because so few people can afford investment quality diamonds that size. However, fancy shapes might be a better choice for stones over three carats since they tend to outsell large round diamonds.

To simplify this discussion on choosing a diamond shape, we've only considered diamond solitaires. There are other factors to consider when selecting cocktail rings, anniversary bands or any ring with many small diamonds. Round diamonds are the most popular for these rings, partly because rounds are easier to set, match, and replace. In addition, small rounds are often less expensive than small fancy shapes. However, fancy shapes permit distinctive styles. You should therefore be aware that rings with small fancies usually cost more and require more labor than those with small round brilliants. This wtll help you realize the importance of comparing rings having diamonds of the same shape as well as the same size, color and clarity. Then, you'll be able to judge value more accurately.