Are you planning to propose to a special someone? If you’re looking for the perfect engagement ring, there are many things to consider — from the 4 Cs (cut, color, clarity, and carat weight) to your future fiancé’s tastes.
Those tastes involve everything from band widths and metals to the shape of her diamond. To help you find the perfect fit, let’s look at some of the diamond shapes you might come across as you shop for an engagement ring.
Round
Round diamonds are what we usually envision in an engagement ring. This could be the right shape if your gal loves to keep things traditional.
Princess
These lovely square diamonds might be perfect for the princess in your life.
Marquise
These stones have a shape similar to a football, pointed on both ends. Marquise diamonds can look larger than other stones of the same carat weight, so they’re a good option if you can’t afford a huge stone but you’d like one to look a bit bigger. They’re also great for elongating the wearer’s finger.
Teardrop
A teardrop diamond (also called pear-shaped) is like a cross between an oval and a marquise. Like marquise shaped diamonds, teardrop stones can elongate the finger.
Emerald
Emerald shaped diamonds are a good option if you want to highlight the clarity of the stone.
Oval
If you love the traditional look of a round diamond, but you want to up the “wow” factor a bit, consider an oval shape instead. The stone can be just as brilliant, but with a larger appearance thanks to the length.
Trilliant
If you’re looking for something more unique, consider this triangular stone shape.
Radiant
If you like the look of a square princess cut, but you’d like something softer, a radiant diamond might be a good choice with its harsh corners removed. Radiant cut diamonds can also come in a more rectangular shape like the example below.
Asscher
If you love the look of an emerald cut stone, but you’d like something shorter or a bit more square, an asscher diamond could be perfect.
Heart-Shaped
For the ultimate romantic, you could always consider a heart-shaped diamond. Just remember that a stone this unique won’t suit every woman’s taste, so have a good idea of what yours likes before choosing.
In the end what matters most is that an engagement ring comes from the right person. But if you can find the perfect stone to suit your future fiancé, all the better. After all, she does have to wear the ring you get her for the rest of her life. If you aren’t sure what shapes appeal to her, it never hurts to ask.
In general I love the way marquise cut stones slim and elongate the finger. But for an engagement ring I prefer tradition, and that means a round cut for me. And that’s just what I received during my own recent proposal. Do you have a favorite diamond cut? What is it and why?
