Your guide to engagement ring shapes

Diamond shape, often confused with diamond cut, refers to the stone’s geometric appearance. There is a range of traditional and unique diamond ring shapes to truly match your partner’s personality. Each shape is cut differently to individually reflect light and sparkle.

In this guide, we will take you through the different types of diamond shapes, as well as the cost for each shape so you can plan your proposal.

1. Round
2. Princess
3. Emerald
4. Asscher
5. Marquise
6. Oval
7. Cushion
8. Pear
9. Heart
10. Radiant 

 

1. Round diamond: From £525 to £3,385

The round brilliant diamond is the most popular engagement ring shape. Each round stone is cut into a kind of cone shape from the bottom upwards with the top rounded off. This shape maximises the shine of the diamond, so it's no surprise that this is the reigning choice.

With ideal proportions, nearly all round diamonds are brilliant cut which means they have 58 facets, enhancing their brilliance and fire. Round diamonds are incredibly popular in the solitaire style.

Round engagement rings are extremely versatile and timeless. This classic shape is perfect for those who favour more traditional or vintage styles. Model Miranda Kerr received a round diamond engagement ring from Even Spiegel when he proposed in July 2016.

2. Princess diamond: From £720 to £2,583

The princess-cut diamond is similar to round and appears square or rectangular (with four bevelled edges), yet its overall shape is a pyramid. The princess diamond was first created in 1979 and is known for its scintillating, fiery brilliance. It is generally much less expensive than the round diamond and works well in solitaire and three-stone engagement ring styles.

This shape of a princess cut diamond offers your partner a more modern alternative to the traditional round engagement ring. Justin Timberlake proposed to Jessica Biel in 2012 with a huge 18-carat, princess diamond engagement ring.

3. Emerald diamond: From £896 £2,345

The emerald-cut diamond has a rectangular shape with rounded corners. This shape is known for its long rectangular facets, each of which sits parallel to the edge of the diamond.

This shape is designed to highlight a gem’s shine, however, as it has a large open table, clarity imperfections are more obvious. It is advised to consider a higher class of clarity – we’d recommend VS1 and above for emerald-shaped diamonds. You can read more on how to choose the right clarity with our diamond buying guide.

The emerald-cut diamond is very much on trend. If you’re into fashion and want something unusual, this shape may be for you. Some of the most popular styles for emerald engagement rings are solitaire, three-stone, and halo styles. Celebrities seen wearing emerald diamond engagement rings include Amal Clooney, Angelina Jolie, and Beyoncé.

4. Asscher diamond: From £977 to £2,465

The Asscher diamond has an octagonal shape, offering a taste of art-deco style. It is cut in a similar way to the emerald diamonds, yet has more brilliance. Just like the emerald shape, the Asscher highlights any inclusions, so picking a good clarity is important for an Asscher diamond.

The best engagement ring styles for an asscher diamond engagement ring are solitaire, shoulder, or halo to enhance the unique design.

The Asscher shape is a great choice if you want a diamond that looks larger than round with the same carat weight. Celebrities seen wearing Asscher diamond rings include Zooey Deschanel, Kate Hudson, and Jessica Alba.

5. Marquise diamond: From £783 to £2,064

Legend has it that the Marquise diamond was first created at the behest of the French monarch, King Louis XIV. According to the story, the king wanted a diamond to represent the lips of his mistress, the Marquise de Pompadour. With its elongated shape and sharp ends, the marquise diamond certainly has a grand appearance. Due to its extended length, it has more size per carat than any other shape, meaning it can often appear larger.

Due to its shape, a marquise diamond engagement ring looks great in vintage and halo styles. Victoria Beckham began wearing an extravagant marquise ring following her engagement to her husband, David, in 1998.

6. Oval diamond: From £931 to £2,455

The oval diamond shape is for those who adore the fiery brilliance and classic style of the round diamond, but want something a little different. This is cut with the same number of facets as the round diamond – the difference in shape lends the oval cut a more contemporary feel. Due to its elongated shape, it looks larger than a round diamond of the same carat weight. The oval diamond looks great in solitaire engagement rings, shoulder engagement rings, and halo-style engagement rings.

This shape helps achieve the look of a longer, slender finger. Kate Middleton received an oval-cut engagement ring from Prince William before their marriage in 2011. We’ve also redesigned Kate’s engagement ring, reimagining what Princess Diana’s engagement ring could have looked like.

7. Cushion diamond: From £864 to £2,053

The cushion diamond (also known as the ‘pillow cut’) has larger facets and rounded corners which do indeed look very cushion-like. It is a vintage style similar to the round, with 58 facets and rectangular in shape. A cushion diamond engagement ring allows for great light reflection and scintillation and looks great in solitaire, shoulder, and cluster-style engagement rings.

Kim Kardashian began wearing a cushion diamond engagement ring after Kanye West proposed to her in 2014.

8. Pear diamond: From £835 to £2,337

The pear-cut diamond (also known as the ‘teardrop’) is a mix of oval and marquise shapes. In your engagement ring, you can choose to wear the point towards or away from your hand, allowing you to create different looks, however, the point facing away from the hand is the most popular way to wear it. Because of the delicate nature of the shape, many people choose halo or bezel-style engagement rings which protect it from damage.

Pear-shaped diamond engagement rings are for those who like to experiment and stand out from the crowd. Elizabeth Taylor, Victoria Beckham and Margot Robbie have all donned pear diamond engagement rings.

9. Heart diamond: From £525 to £2,177

The heart-shaped diamond is for the hopeless romantic. It has a similar brilliance to the round shape but catches the eye more readily due to its unmistakable shape. Heart diamonds under 0.5 carats are difficult to see – opting for a larger carat will enhance this unique shape. Or, consider getting yours in a halo or bezel style as the smaller diamonds around it can help accentuate it.

Singers, Lady Gaga and Avril Lavigne, have been seen wearing heart-shaped diamond engagement rings.

10. Radiant diamond: From £873 to £2,264

The radiant diamond has a square shape and rounded corners, much like the emerald. The emerald has a step cut, ensuring that its facets are arranged parallel to the girdle, yet the radiant shape does not. The visible difference lay in the fact that the emerald has more clarity, whereas the radiant diamond has an intricate 70 facets, therefore more brilliance and sparkle. Catching light in a big way, this shape is incredibly timeless and should be the focal point of a ring with solitaire or shoulder styles.

Hilary Duff, Anna Kournikova, Drew Barrymore, and Megan Fox have all been spotted wearing radiant engagement rings.

Which diamond shapes are the most popular for engagement rings?

Round diamonds are the most popular diamond shape for engagement rings. Thanks to its shape, the shine of the diamond is incredibly bright - making it an extremely popular choice and the sparkliest diamond you can choose. There’s little wonder that Jennifer Hudson, Emily Blunt and Natalie Portman have sported this style of engagement ring.

What diamond shape looks the biggest?

The pear, oval and marquise diamonds appear the biggest due to their elongated shape. These types of diamond shapes look larger, even when compared to a diamond of the same carat weight.

However, if you are looking for the rarest diamond shape, that title belongs to the radiant cut diamond shape. This shape is quite unusual but that’s not to say it isn’t growing in popularity.

At Angelic Diamonds, we have the perfect engagement ring for you, regardless of your preferred diamond shape. Shop our collection of engagement rings today.