The Importance of Cut in Diamond Engagement Rings
Article by Jason O’Brien, January 23rd 2009
Cut refers to how a diamond has been faceted by the polisher. It is an essential aspect of how pretty diamonds will look when set into engagement rings. That attractive sparkle, the way a diamond plays with light, is a direct result of the care with which the diamond has been cut. Cut has two broad areas of consideration. One is the shape it has been cut into and the other is the skill with which the shape has been accomplished. This latter area refers to symmetry. Your round diamond should truly be round; your heart-shaped one should be even on both shoulders; your marquise should not bow out too much nor appear too skinny. When stones are misshapen, the result is that too much light leaks out of the bottom of the gem and does not come back to meet your eye. The stone loses life and much of its decorative value.
Marquise diamond ring with V shaped diamond wedding ring
Look for stones with a minimum cut grade of ‘good’ or, if possible, ‘excellent’ and you can be sure that your ring will have superb fire and brilliance, even when buying online. The other consideration is shape. Don’t think that the only engagement rings are those with round diamonds in them. There are a variety of other shapes, each with special features that benefit your fiancé. Round diamonds are more commonly known as brilliant cuts. Princess cuts are square and have become much more popular since the 1990s. They are modern yet elegant. On the other hand, a pear shape will be eye-catching in an unexpected way. Ensure that your pear-shaped diamond is well-cut because when poorly cut, they display what is known as a ‘bow-tie’, a dark shape visible through the top of the table. Next is the marquise which has the benefit of being very slimming on the hand. For large marquises, you may want to choose a setting with the metal covering the tips of the marquise. This ensures that the weakest part of the stone is protected. Finally, there is the oval cut. The beautiful shape of the oval has an additional benefit of appearing larger than a round diamond of equal carat weight. For those with limited budgets, this is an important consideration. To find a quality jewellery store which offers all of these cuts in a variety of Engagement Rings see www.thebeautifulcompany.co.uk . This company has endless settings options too. Think about your fiancés tastes in her other jewellery and in terms of the designs she likes to get an idea of which stone to buy. Once you have decided on the cut that you prefer, don’t neglect the setting. If you would like a stone that has melee diamonds around the centre stone, be sure that they reflect your choice. For example a princess cut is perhaps best accentuated with either rectangular or princess cut stones around the shoulders rather than with small round brilliant gems. Don’t limit this advice to diamonds either. Rubies, sapphires and emeralds are all available in cuts other than rounds too. Take some time to play with the metal options too. You may prefer the clean look of white gold or platinum with the simple lines of princess cuts or the warmer look of yellow gold with the curves of a marquise. This advice will hopefully benefit you as you shop for engagement rings.
