Shopping for a diamond engagement ring can be one of the biggest financial decisions in a couple’s life. With so many elements to consider such as color, clarity, and settings, you don’t want to be careless in your approach. One of the ways you can get the most bang for your buck without sacrificing showmanship is to choose a diamond shape that tricks the eye into appearing larger than it really is. The optical characteristics of varying diamond cuts and shapes mean that certain proportions make a diamond seem significantly bigger, and Southshore Diamond Exchange can help you hone in on which shapes pack a visual punch.
Elongated Diamonds Look The Biggest
If you want your diamond to appear larger, choose a diamond with an elongated shape. These longer designs create more surface area on the table, or top of the diamond, which makes the eye naturally assume it’s a bigger stone. In reality, the cut of elongated diamond shapes are merely shallower, which means their pavilions, or lower facet cuts, are slightly shorter. These proportions that create “spread,” or the illusion of a bigger gemstone, are evident in several popular diamond shapes.
Fancy Shapes With Optical Impact
- Oval Cut: These diamonds are the most popular elongated diamond shape because they both appear larger and exhibit high brilliance. This is because they are faceted the same way as round-brilliant cuts, which are known for superior sparkle.
- Marquise Cut: These are elliptical in shape with lengthened points on each end. This “football” shaped cut allows for varying ratios between length and width, which lets its 57 facets trick the eye into seeming bigger than its carat weight would suggest.
- Emerald Cut: This cut is known for their rectangular step-cut facets, and this shape naturally lends itself to the illusion of a larger diamond. Emerald cut diamonds almost always have a wide table that takes up a lot of real estate on your ring finger.
- Pear-Shaped: diamonds have on average 8% more surface area than a round diamond of equal carat weight. It’s easy to see why this unique “teardrop” shape can have a big impact and is becoming a trendier engagement ring option.
Looking Bigger Is Better
In a side-by-side comparison, diamonds cut into fancy shapes with elongated silhouettes will almost always look bigger than round-cut diamonds of equal carat weight. Not only that, but fancy shapes can cost 10-30% less per carat, which either means you save money or get to splurge for higher quality in other aspects of your diamond shopping.
While oval shaped diamonds are generally considered to give the best illusion of a bigger diamond, the final decision is yours when it comes to which shape catches your fancy. Schedule an appointment with the fine jewelry consultants of Southshore Diamond Exchange for more guidance on diamond shapes and cuts today!