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Round Diamonds vs Princess Diamonds – Which One is Better?

Most people don’t realize when they think of a diamond, they are referring to the cut. The cut is at the top of complicated jewelry terms and people seem to confuse it with shape.

They’re not quite the same thing. When you talk about a diamond’s “shape” you might refer to it as a heart shaped diamond, pear shape diamond, or square shape. I noticed the difference and I think it’s really important to understand that difference.

Like a lot of big-ticket items, it’s super important to make an informed decision. Read on for more information about the differences between round diamond and princess cut diamond rings.

WHAT DOES DIAMOND-CUT MEAN?

A diamond’s cut is a combination of the angles, measurements, and proportions of the diamond. The quality of a diamond’s cut is judged by many criteria including how well or poorly it reflects light, how well or poorly it disperses light, and how deep the stone’s facets are.

The shape of a diamond is determined by how the facets are arranged during the cutting process, it’s an art. You need to get the balance and symmetry perfect or else you won’t be able to make it sparkle how you want.

A poor cut can cause a diamond to lose its sparkle and reduce its value. If you love diamonds, it’s probably not okay to have them as your best friend if they end up looking dull!

ANATOMY OF A DIAMOND

The cut quality of a diamond is essential to understanding its value. It is the decisive factor in determining the amount of brilliance, fire, and scintillation that a diamond emits in various lighting conditions. The cut quality of a diamond can be determined by examining its anatomy.

Diamond cuts consist of:

Anatomy Of A Diamond- Shira Diamonds

The cut of a gemstone determines what type of light can interact with the gemstone. The more light that can reflect off the gem, the more brilliance it will have in its sparkle.

HOW IS A DIAMOND-CUT GRADED?

The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) put a lot of its energy into studying the brightness, dispersion, and other visual effects caused by light hitting a diamond. It’s a good idea to compare this stone with others that are available on the market.

Although each stone will indeed vary in cut, there are other factors to consider besides just the cut grading. The Nexus Diamond™ is graded similarly by Forever Companies and uses a stringent collation process.

The amount of sparkle a diamond has is called scintillation. A well-cut diamond should then reflect light in an eye-catching way, creating many different light and dark areas.

Fire happens when white light is scattered into colors of the rainbow when it’s reflected off various surfaces (like a diamond’s table, for example). \

The height at which this light reflects is determined by the refractive index. Fire creates the same colors like the ones that we see in a rainbow. When we see it, it’s like seeing flashes of color on a never-ending loop.

Brightness is what people see when they look at gems. It’s the light that reflects off of them and hits your eye.

A diamond’s light is entering the gemstone from the table, or top of the diamond, bouncing off its facets and dispersing into various colors of light. The combined colors exit through the same opening that they entered through.

Examining how precisely the jewelry is made and its design is just two of the many factors to consider when grading jewelry. Other things include how thick the girdle is, symmetry in facet arrangement, weight, and diameter.

Examining durability considerations, polish, and high quality are also important.

GIA grades cuts for round diamonds as one of five choices:

GIA grades cuts for round diamonds- Shira Diamonds

We don’t recommend buying this, most jewelers won’t even sell them. They’re just that bad. Something else to keep in mind is that there can be quite a lot of difference between grades of diamonds, so you’ve got to make sure you know what you’re looking at.

With different people having different standards of looking for a princess cut diamond, it can be hard to know how good the quality is. The best option is to physically assess the diamond and try to get your hands on it if you can.

WHY IS DIAMOND CUT IMPORTANT?

Diamond Cuts- shira Diamonds

The cut feature of a diamond is the most important of the diamond 4Cs because a poorly executed cut can reduce the value in addition to affecting the reflective quality and brightness.

If a diamond isn’t properly cut, it will look smaller than it should. But when a jeweler craft cutting lines into the diamond, the stone looks bigger through depth and light reflections.

WHAT IS A ROUND-CUT DIAMOND?

For those who want a classic style, round-cut diamonds are a great option. They account for 60% of all diamond jewelry sales and are popular because they’re so sparkly.

Round diamond first became popular in the 17th century with only 17 facets on the top of the gemstone. Later, in 1919, round-cut diamonds were known for their sparkle and fire.

Styles of gemstones come in a variety of shapes, cuts, and designs. Today, most round brilliant types have 58 facets to catch and refract light- providing versatility when pairing with different styles and ring designs. They can be used for solitaire rings to rings with two stones (or more).

Round Cut- Shira Diamonds

While diamond cuts like round lack in color & clarity, Princess is much more forgiving. They’re able to make up for flaws from the combination of their cut and the brilliance it emits when it shines.

There are many different diamond cuts and each one has its benefits.

However, round brilliant cut diamonds have been around for a while and they’re a well-known industry standard that doesn’t snag or get caught in clothing.

WHAT IS A PRINCESS CUT DIAMOND?

Princess cut diamonds are the second most popular type of diamond, making up about 15% of all diamond sales today. This cut is modern and chic and can be seen in more modern-style rings.

Princess cut diamonds also have a mega amount of sparkle, perfect for those that love that “bling bling” factor. Plus they suit those who prefer an asymmetrical design and are perfect for anyone who loves geometry!

The most popular shapes with princess cut diamonds are the square and rectangle because it magnifies all the features of those cuts and colors.

You might say the Princess Cut is an elegant combination of round and square cuts that work well for most people. It’s an easy-to-wear shape, which makes it a no-brainer choice for most.

Like round cuts, princess cuts can be forgiving towards flaws if you keep one thing in mind. Any flaws should not exist in any of the four corners of a princess cut diamond or they’ll be easily chipped.

ARE ROUND DIAMONDS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN PRINCESS DIAMONDS?

Generally speaking, a round cut diamond is more expensive than a princess cut diamond. If you compare size for the size you can get a larger stone with a princess cut, which is just as valuable.

Princess cuts provide a better yield which means less waste for the jeweler. They also reduce the size of expensive stones – so the customer gets a larger diamond for the same price.

DOES A PRINCESS CUT DIAMOND LOOK BIGGER THAN A ROUND DIAMOND?

Diamond size- shira Diamonds

You have to be careful with optics. Diamonds with a princess cut will look larger because of how the table and pavilion interact. This also means that for two carats of weight, one might look bigger than the other depending on the cut it has.

Yeah, not too many people like princess cuts that much.
They may not look as shiny in comparison with a round cut. This is because even though the table of a princess cut diamond is larger than that of a round cut diamond and catches the light, the pavilion at the bottom of it is smaller.

That means there’s less refraction, which amounts to less sparkle and brilliance in a princess

ROUND VS PRINCESS CUT DIAMOND—WHICH SHOULD IT BE?

There are pros and cons to each diamond cut. You should weigh them carefully before making a purchase.

Round cuts are:

  • Versatile
  • Popular
  • Comfortable
  • Brilliant
  • Forgiving
  • Princess cuts are:
  • Unique
  • Affordable
  • Forgiving
  • Brilliant
  • Geometrical

It’s important to know the difference between the cuts of diamond. The most popular cut is round, and usually the least expensive.

Round cuts have a variety of uses, they are more comfortable to wear than other shapes, they are forgiving of inclusions and they can be used in many different styles of jewelry.

They are also versatile as they do not have one specific use. Princess cuts, on the other, are square, with rounded corners and 45-degree angles.

The rectangular shape gives it a larger surface area than round diamonds of the same size. This makes it a great choice for those who want to economize on carat weight without sacrificing brilliance.

Some people like the look of a round diamond because it looks classy, while others will opt for something more modern like a princess cut.

The result of each style is different and you should use whatever will suit your needs best. If you like round cuts or princess cuts, ultimately it comes down to personal preference and what you can afford.


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