Types of Diamond Cuts: What Are the Different Cuts of Diamonds?

Here's something nobody tells you when you start ring shopping: diamond cuts and shapes matter more than almost anything else. More than the carat or more than the color or more than the clarity. The cut is what makes a diamond come alive — or sit there looking flat and lifeless despite costing a fortune.

Diamond cuts and shapes are also where most people get confused, because there are a lot of them, and the difference between a brilliant cut and a step cut isn't exactly common knowledge. This guide covers all of it — what each cut actually does, which shapes fall into which category, and how to figure out which one's right for you. If you are new to diamond trends, stick to the end to find the best spot for customizable rings.  

Diamond Cuts and Shapes — They're Not the Same Thing

Before anything else, this distinction is worth making.

The cut refers to how a diamond's facets are arranged — how light enters, bounces around inside, and exits. This directly determines the diamond's brilliance, fire, and scintillation (the flashes you see when it moves).

The shape is just what it looks like from above — round, oval, square, elongated, whatever. You can have the same shape in different cuts, and the same cut applied to different shapes.

Three main categories of diamond cuts exist. Everything else falls within them.

Brilliant Cut — Built for Maximum Sparkle

The brilliant cut was engineered, not just designed. Marcel Tolkowsky worked out the mathematics in 1919 — the exact angles, proportions, and facet arrangement that would allow maximum light to enter a diamond, bounce internally, and shoot back out at the viewer. The result is the distinctive fire and sparkle most people picture when they think of a diamond.

Brilliant-cut diamonds have triangular and kite-shaped facets radiating from the center. They're the most light-reflective type of cut available.

Shapes that use the brilliant cut:

Round Cut

The round cut is the most popular diamond shape in the world — over 75% of all diamonds sold are round brilliants. It has 58 facets precisely arranged for the maximum possible sparkle. If you want the most light return, the most fire, and the most forgiving cut for inclusions and color, this is it. It's also typically the most expensive shape because of how much rough diamond gets discarded in the cutting process.

Princess cut Ring

Princess Cut

Created in 1981, making it one of the newer types of diamond cuts, the princess cut is a square shape with modified brilliant-cut facets. It delivers exceptional fire and brilliance — almost matching the round brilliant — in a modern, geometric silhouette. The sharp corners are part of the appeal, though they do need secure prongs to protect them.

Oval Cut

An oval cut uses the same brilliant faceting as a round but in an elongated shape. It sits longer on the finger, which creates a slimming, lengthening effect. It also appears up to 10-15% larger than a round diamond of the same carat weight because of how it distributes surface area. That's a meaningful optical advantage for anyone watching their budget.

Cushion Cut

The cushion cut is a square or rectangular shape with rounded corners — historically called the "Old Mine Cut," it was the dominant diamond shape through most of the 1800s. The larger facets create a softer, more romantic kind of sparkle rather than the sharp brilliance of a round or princess. It has a vintage, glowing quality that suits antique-inspired settings beautifully.

Marquise Cut

The marquise cut is elongated with two pointed ends — a shape with genuine royal history. Louis XV commissioned it in the 18th century, inspired by the lips of the Marquise de Pompadour. It has one of the largest face-up appearances per carat of any diamond shape, making it look impressively large for its weight. It's also the most elongating cut for the finger.

Pear Cut

Also called the teardrop diamond, the pear cut combines a rounded base with a pointed tip. It's a unique diamond cut that elongates and flatters the finger when worn point-up. The combination of round and marquise characteristics gives it a shape that's both distinctive and wearable — particularly popular right now in east-west settings where the stone sits horizontal.

14K Gold Pear Cut Black Diamond Ring

Heart Cut

The heart cut is essentially a pear with a cleft at the top. It's technically demanding — achieving perfect symmetry in a heart shape requires great skill, which is part of why it tends to cost more in craftsmanship. The symbolism is obviously direct, and the shape works best at larger carat sizes where the form is clearly visible.

Step Cut — Built for Depth and Elegance

Step cuts are a completely different philosophy from brilliant cuts. Instead of triangular facets designed to scatter light in every direction, step cuts have long, parallel facets arranged in rectangular tiers — like a staircase descending toward the stone's center. The result isn't traditional sparkle. It's more of a hall-of-mirrors depth, where you see layers of reflection rather than flashes of light.

Step cuts demand higher clarity stones, because those parallel facets act like windows — they make inclusions much more visible than brilliant cuts do.

Emerald Cut

The emerald cut is the most famous step cut. Rectangular with cropped corners, it was originally developed for cutting emeralds (hence the name) and later became a beloved diamond cut in its own right. It has a quiet, architectural elegance that's completely different from brilliant-cut diamonds — understated rather than dazzling. Princess Diana loved it. So did Grace Kelly. It suits people with an eye for structure and quality rather than sparkle.

Emerald Diamond Engagement Ring

Asscher Cut

The Asscher is a square step cut — essentially an emerald cut with equal sides and a higher crown. It was developed in 1902 and became iconic during the Art Deco era. The concentric square reflections you see looking into an Asscher cut are unlike anything else in diamond design — deeply geometric, almost hypnotic. A genuinely rare diamond cut in the sense that it's less commonly seen than rounds or ovals.

Baguette Cut

Long, narrow, rectangular, and almost always used as an accent stone rather than a center stone. Baguettes appear flanking center diamonds in three-stone rings and pavé settings. Simple, clean, architectural.

Mixed Cut — The Best of Both

Mixed cuts combine brilliant-cut facets on the crown (top) with step-cut facets on the pavilion (bottom), or vice versa. The goal is to get brilliance and fire from the brilliant elements while still achieving some of the depth and elegance of step cuts.

Radiant Cut

The radiant cut does exactly this — a rectangular or square shape with cropped corners, brilliant-cut facets throughout. It was introduced in the 1970s specifically to bring brilliant-cut sparkle to a more geometric shape. If you love the look of an emerald cut but want more light return, radiant is the answer.

1 Carat Radiant Diamond Ring

Princess Cut (overlap)

Princess cut is technically sometimes categorized as mixed cut too, depending on the exact faceting used — it sits in a zone between pure brilliant and mixed depending on the manufacturer.

Quick Reference: Which Cut Does What

Which Diamond Cuts and Shapes Look the Biggest?

Carat weight doesn't always match visual size. These cuts tend to look larger than their weight:

• Marquise — widest face-up area of any cut per carat

• Oval — elongated shape reads 10-15% larger than a round of the same weight

• Pear — teardrop shape maximizes visible surface area

• Emerald — the spread across the finger is impressive despite lower brilliance

3.5 CT Cushion Cut Diamond Ring 

Which Diamond Cuts and Shapes Sparkle the Most?

Ranked roughly by light return and fire:

• Round brilliant — the undisputed standard for sparkle

• Princess cut — very close behind

• Radiant cut — designed specifically for maximum brilliance in a rectangular shape

• Oval, cushion, marquise, pear — all high brilliance, slightly different character

• Emerald and Asscher — beautiful but less about sparkle, more about depth and elegance

Which Diamond Cuts and Shapes Are the Rarest?

Rare diamond cuts you don't see often:

• Asscher — genuinely uncommon, requires high clarity and skilled cutting

• Heart — technically demanding, rarely done perfectly

• Old Mine Cut and Old European Cut — antique cuts rarely produced today, found in estate jewelry

• Rose cut — flat-bottomed, domed top, very few facets, has an antique quality with a completely different aesthetic from modern cuts

14 K Vintage Diamond Ring

FAQs

Does cut grade affect all shapes?

The GIA cut grade only applies officially to round brilliants. For other shapes, cut quality is judged by proportions, symmetry, and polish rather than a standardized grade.

Which cut is best for a small budget?

Oval, cushion, and pear cuts tend to cost less per carat than round brilliants and often look larger for the same spend. They're smart choices if you want presence without the round brilliant premium.

Which cut hides inclusions best?

Brilliant cuts — especially round and cushion — scatter light in ways that make inclusions less visible. Step cuts like emerald and Asscher do the opposite, so they need higher clarity stones.

Is the rose cut making a comeback?

It never fully left, and it's genuinely popular right now — especially with salt and pepper diamonds and black diamonds where the flat profile and large table suit the stone's character beautifully.

1.88 Round Brilliant Cut 

Find Your Cut at Rustic and Gold

Every diamond cut has a personality. The right one depends on what you want the ring to feel like — how much sparkle, how much presence, what shape suits your hand, and what style speaks to you.

At Rustic and Gold, we work with every cut and shape — from round brilliants to emerald cuts to rose cuts to unique diamond cuts like kite, hexagon, and coffin shapes that most jewelers don't carry. Every ring is made to order around the specific stone and the specific person wearing it.

Browse our Engagement Ring Collection or get in touch to start a custom design.

The cut is just the beginning.