Marilyn didn’t lie when she sang the words “diamonds are a girls best friend”. With the beginning of The Dubai Jewellery Week beginning on the 7th December and the Diamond Fine Jewelry section on The Luxury Closet growing every day, we thought it was important to know everything we could about a few of our sparkly little buddies.
So how are we supposed to choose from all of these different styles..? One of each perhaps?
Cushion
Much like the comfort of a glamorous throw pillow. The cushion cut diamond is a classic and timeless enough that you need not worry about it going out of style. The cushion features brilliant-cut facets and can be rectangular or square with curved sides or rounded corners.
Emerald
Not to be mistaken with it’s green cousin, the emerald cut refers to a diamond that is rectangular or square with diagonally cut corners. The unique look is created by the step cuts of it’s pavilion or underside, and large open table or topside. The result is almost a ‘hall of mirrors’ effect with dramatic flashes of light reflection.
Princess
If there’s one thing we like, it’s being treated like a princess. This cut is a severe 90 degree angled rectangle or square was first created in 1980 by Betzalel Ambar and Israel Itzkowitz. It is the most popular fancy cut, especially for engagement rings. The Princess is a brilliant cut, with a multifaceted pavilion, creating numerous light reflections.
Oval
Created by Lazare Kaplan in the 1960’s, oval diamonds are also brilliant cut in the shape of… You guessed it… an oval. The oval is a great choice for anyone who likes the look and sparkle of a brilliant round diamond, and wants something a little more unique.
Round Brilliant
Arguably the quintessential diamond, and certainly among the most radiant, a round brilliant cut features 57 or 58 facets, made up of kite-shaped, star and triangular facets. This cut is by far the most popular diamond shape, representing approximately 75% of all diamonds sold.
Pear
Pear shaped may be a term to describe something that is a little bit wonky, however in this case it couldn’t be less appropriate. Also referred to as a “teardrop” shape, this brilliant-cut diamond features a pear-shaped outline with two curved sides, one rounded end and one pointed end. The pear shape is a combination of a round and a marquise cut, with a tapered point on one end.
Marquise
This cut has a rather long history starting with the name, derived from the Marquise of Pompadour. According to historical speculation, King Louis XIV of France allegedly had a stone fashioned to resemble what he considered her “perfectly shaped” mouth. That’s right girls, he liked her mouth so much that he modelled a diamond on it, now what did you get for Valentines day this year?
Radiant
The radiant diamond is aptly named, the first square cut to have a complete brilliant-cut facet pattern applied to both the crown and pavilion (top and bottom). This creates a bright and lively square diamond. First popular in the 1980’s, the cropped corner makes for a nice hybrid between a cushion and a princess cut.