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OF THINGS TO COME shape
A diamond ring is beautiful no matter how you look at it, but not every diamond ring is the same. Changing the cut and shape of a diamond can make it beautiful in a whole new way. The 57-facet round-brilliant cut is the most popular form of diamond for rings because it produces the most pure white light return. It is defined according to specific mathematically calculated angles that are designed to make it reflect light from the inner facets. But it’s not the only choice, and it’s definitely not the only beautiful choice. There are many cuts and shapes to choose from, all of which have their own unique charms. Fancy shapes such as pear, marquise (a long rectangle with pointed tips), emerald (a rectangular step cut with tapered corners), and ovals are popular alternatives to the round-brilliant. Oval-shaped center stones and solitaires have become particularly popular this year. Oval diamonds are not only a unique alternative to round, but visually they seem larger than round or square cut diamonds of the same size. Not only that, but the elongated style makes the fingers look longer. In fact, all long shaped stones like oval, pear, emerald, or marquise diamonds add the illusion of length to shorter fingers, as do tapered side stones, such as baguettes (a rectangular cut without beveled corners). The princess cut is another favorite choice for center stones. The face-up shape of the princess cut is square or rectangular, and the profile or side-view shape is similar to that of an inverted pyramid with four beveled sides. The cut is executed with a series
of unique, chevron-shaped facets in the pavilion, which combine to give a unique cross-shaped reflection when the stone is viewed directly through the table. The cushion cut — so named for its softly rounded corners that resemble a pillow — is another favorite, one that feels a little bit vintage. The cut dates back 200 years and was once considered the favorite of royals. Today’s versions use modern cutting technology to imbue the cushion with impressive sparkle. There are also specialty cuts unique to certain manufacturers. One is the Asscher cut, originally created in the early 1900s by the Asscher Brothers of Holland’s Asscher Diamond Company (now the Royal Asscher Diamond Company). For decades,Asscher cuts were primarily found in vintage jewelry stores, but the shape surged in popularity again during the early 2000s. Asscher cuts look similar to emerald cuts, with the most obvious difference being that they are square instead of rectangular. This cut features large stepped facets and a tall crown that produces a very high brilliance.Although the Asscher cut is considered a square shape, it is actually somewhat octagonal, since all four corners are cropped. However, these cropped corners are not noticeable once the diamond is mounted into a four-prong setting. Another special cut is the Radiant, which is a square cut with a complete brilliant- cut facet pattern applied to both the crown and pavilion, creating a vibrant and lively square (or rectangular) diamond, with a total of 70 facets.
PLATINUM 5.25CT OVAL BRILLIANT DIAMOND, H COLOR, VVS1 CLARITY.
PLATINUM 5.28CT FOREVERMARK ROUND BRILLIANT CUT DIAMOND, H COLOR, VVS1 CLARITY, SIDE TAPERED BAGUETTE DIAMONDS.
PLATINUM 4.25CT CUSHION CUT DIAMOND, E COLOR, SIDE PEAR DIAMONDS.
PLATINUM 5.80CT EMERALD CUT DIAMOND I COLOR, SI1 CLARITY, SIDE TRAPAZOID DIAMONDS.
48 ] B R O W N & C O . J E W E L E R S M A G A Z I N E
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