Which Diamond Shape Is The Cheapest?

When purchasing a diamond, the shape is an important factor to consider because it directly determines the price. Due to increased manufacturing costs, higher market demand, and their exceptional brilliance, round diamonds, the most common diamond shape, tend to be more expensive than other shapes (referred to as fancy shapes).

Fancy-shaped diamonds are any diamond that is not round. Discover the timeless sparkle of brilliant cut engagement ring diamonds at Temple & Grace jewellers, where they specialise in designing unique round engagement rings that create the illusion of larger diamonds.

What Is The Value Of A Diamond?

Diamond prices can be a bit complicated. Their actual worth depends on dozens of factors. At least, that's what you may hear. It's true, but things don't have to be so difficult.

You will discover all of the necessary information to determine the appropriate price for a diamond as well as its true market value within its pages. Value and pricing are not the same, and that is something You have learned after 14 years in the business.

Why Diamond Pricing Varies From Shape To Shape

Keep in mind that diamonds aren't always in pristine condition when first discovered. Instead, a diamond cutter will take a rough diamond and shape it into the desired form. Between twenty per cent and sixty per cent of the rough diamond's initial weight is lost during the cutting process.

Diamond shapes have a significant impact on the percentage of the rough diamond that is cut. Consider that only roughly 80% of the rough diamond's carat weight is utilised by the typical princess-cut diamond. This means that during the cutting process, just 20% of the rough stone is wasted.

When a round diamond has been cut and polished, only around 40% of the original stone remains. Around sixty per cent of the rough diamond is cut away in this way. The removed material is wasted because it cannot be recycled for use in creating more diamonds.

This, predictably, has major implications for pricing. Since very varied amounts of rough diamonds are required to create diamonds of different shapes, the costs for these diamonds can range widely.

Hence, a budget of $5,000 would only allow for a round diamond of this size, whereas this princess cut would be 8 per cent "heavier" for the same price.

Most Affordable Diamond Shapes

Fancy Shaped Diamonds

Contrary to popular belief, fancy diamond shapes do not necessarily command a premium. Fancy colour diamonds are typically more expensive than colourless diamonds, as is general knowledge among those with even a passing familiarity with the subject. The term "fancy diamond form" is used to describe any of the four major diamond shapes other than the ubiquitous round brilliant. This ranges from the Marquise and oval to the pear and heart to the princess and emerald to the radiant and cushion to the Asscher. The cost difference between a round diamond and one of these shapes is often between 25 and 50 per cent.

Round Cut Diamond

According to the statistics we cited in our round-cut diamond buying guide, almost 75% of all diamonds sold in the world are of the brilliant round cut.

The most valuable diamonds come in the form of round cuts. This is because cutting and polishing the rough diamond results in a significant amount of waste. As we've seen, round diamond cuts waste around 60% of the raw material.

The popularity of the round cut contributes to the diamond's value. Suppliers, wholesalers, and vendors typically pay a premium for this diamond shape because of the high demand associated with engagement rings with this shape.

As a result of this, you should budget more money for a round-cut diamond than you would for virtually any other kind of diamond shape.

Marquise

The Marquise cut, which is both elegant and flattering, originated in the 18th century when King Louis XV of France had a diamond fashioned to resemble the shape of his principal mistress Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson's lips.

This shape of diamond has become known as a "Marquise" over time. The Marquise cut stands out from the crowd thanks to its distinctive shape, making it appear bigger than other diamond cuts of the same carat weight.

Even while this form comes near the cost of a round diamond, it is still roughly $1,000 less expensive than an equivalent round diamond. Marquise and oval diamonds are popular among those who desire to lengthen their fingers and stand out from the crowd.

Asscher Cut 

The Asscher cut is a step-cut diamond shape that was created by the Royal Asscher firm in the early 20th century. It has 58 facets.

Diamonds with an Asscher cut might have the appearance of a square emerald cut. This cut is used to emphasise a diamond's brilliance and clarity. If the quality of the colour and clarity is high, they can make quite an impression.

This style of cutting a diamond does make any flaws more noticeable than they would be in a round brilliant or princess-cut diamond. So, as we explain in our Asscher cut guide, it is crucial to establish a baseline grade for colour and clarity before comparing diamonds.

Asscher-cut diamonds, like emerald-cut diamonds, make efficient use of the majority of the rough stone. As a result, the price per carat is typically lower than that of similarly sized round diamonds.

Pear

Pear-shaped diamonds are classic and sophisticated because they have one rounded end and one end that tapers to a point. The tip of the diamond will always face your future spouse's heart when she wears it on her finger.

A pear-shaped diamond, like any other fancy-shaped diamond, should have ideal proportions.

Pear-shaped diamonds are a fantastic value because their unusual form allows more of the rough diamond to be utilised than in the brilliant round cut. This cut is especially great at hiding inclusions, so even an SI1 or SI2 clarity rating can result in a stunningly transparent gem.

There is a savings of about $1,500 when purchasing a pear-shaped diamond instead of a round diamond, despite the fact that it is the fourth most expensive diamond form. This teardrop-like form, full of personality, is very charming.

Heart-Shape

Heart-shaped diamonds are a wonderful and romantic way to declare your love to your fiancé.

The heart-shaped diamond is a variant of the brilliant round cut, despite appearances to the contrary. As we discussed in our heart-shaped diamond buying guide, it's crucial to select a diamond with excellent symmetry, especially in the lobes.

The heart cut is a type of brilliant cut that effectively masks any flaws within the diamond. As a result, you can count on getting a completely transparent stone whenever the clarity rating is SI1.

Heart-shaped diamonds, while similar to the brilliant round cut, require far more of the original rough diamond than does the brilliant round cut. This makes them a more wallet-friendly alternative to a traditional round diamond.

Diamonds cut into the shape of a heart are actually pears with an opening on the rounded end. As a result, the costs are relatively equivalent. Despite its unusual appearance, this form can be over $2,000 cheaper than a round diamond.

Radiant

Henry Grossbard created the radiant cut in the 1970s with the intention of fusing the perceived huge size of the emerald cut with the principal qualities of the brilliant round cut, most notably its brilliance.

Diamonds that are cut in the "radiant" style have 62 to 70 facets total, with the majority of those facets located on the pavilion. Radiant cut diamonds, like emerald and oval cut diamonds, provide the illusion of greater size.

If your future wife leads an active lifestyle that would harm a more delicately cut diamond, consider proposing one of these diamonds instead.

If the appearance of large carat weight is your primary concern, a radiant cut diamond is a superb option. This style of diamond has many facets, making inclusions hard to notice and making an SI1 or SI2 clarity-grade diamond look great.

The radiant form employs the same mixed cut as the princess cut but with 70 facets instead of 25. It's a gorgeous form, and it's also one of the more affordable options. Compared to the standard round diamond, this alternative will save you almost $2,000.

Oval-Cut

The shape of an oval-cut diamond is exactly what its name implies. This form provides both high levels of brilliance and durability.

The oval shape gives the impression of greater size, which is one of its key benefits. Oval-cut diamonds have an optical illusion of greater size because of their extended shape after cutting and polishing.

Oval-cut diamonds are more cost-effective since they utilise more rough stones than their round-cut counterparts. This makes it a great alternative to the more expensive round brilliant cut if you still want a diamond that looks big, majestic, and bright.

Princess

Even though the round brilliant is the most popular diamond shape, the princess cut is far more reasonable in price. This is because the rough diamond can be cut into this shape, which keeps 80% of the diamond's original weight, while a round diamond only retains 50%. The increased demand means more work for diamond cutters. Princess diamonds are preferred by diamond cutters for the same reason. Diamonds having four sharp corners are called princess diamonds.

The princess cut is second only to the round brilliant as the most desired diamond shape. Its inverted pyramid shape gives it a square base. Its unusual shape allows it to compete in brightness with the more expensive round brilliant cut at a far more reasonable price.

The little rough diamonds that are discarded during the cutting and polishing process account for the lower cost of the princess cut. Princess-cut diamonds can consume as much as 80% of the original stone, while brilliant round diamonds only use about 40%.

If you want a big diamond but don't want to pay too much, consider a princess cut instead of a round brilliant.

Emerald

Emerald cut diamonds are distinguished by their enormous table area and long, straight lines (called "steps"), both of which reflect light brilliantly. Emerald-cut diamonds are typically square, although some are also rectangular.

The emerald cut's wide table accentuates any flaws in the diamond's clarity. This is why it's preferable to select an emerald-cut diamond with a somewhat high clarity grade, such as VS1 or VS2. However, a high-quality SI1 can also suffice.

The emerald cut, like the princess cut and the cushion cut, makes good use of the raw diamond. Because of this, it's one of the best bargains out there. Because of its unusual outline, this diamond cut seems larger than many others of the same carat weight.

The emerald cut diamond is yet another stunning form that is quite inexpensive but still quite stunning in appearance. It's stunning and will captivate you with its step-cut facets. Emerald diamonds are the most expensive shape, with only the cushion and Asscher shapes being less expensive.

Cushion Cut 

Diamonds with a cushion cut are square but have softened corners. There are several versions of the cushion cut, each making use of the cut's exceptional fire and sparkle thanks to its exact light dispersion.

In this comprehensive guide on cushion cut diamonds, we go into greater depth regarding the cushion cut's specific shape.

When it comes to price-to-quality ratio, the cushion cut is among the top diamond cuts. Cushion-cut diamonds are relatively inexpensive since so little of the rough diamond is wasted during the cutting and polishing process.

Why Are Diamond Prices So Different Depending On Their Shape?

There are numerous variables that affect a diamond's price.

• Demand for that particular form (The most common are round brilliants)
• The challenge of making the form
• How much of the original rough stone must be thrown away during the diamond-cutting process (A smaller rough diamond can be used to cut a square diamond because it is more similar to the shape of the rough diamond than a round diamond is to the rough diamond shape.)

 

Finding the right diamond can be challenging, even with the wealth of resources at your disposal. After all, the cost and sentimental value of your engagement ring are substantial. Yet, you shouldn't feel pressured to decide on your own.

What Is The Most Affordable Diamond Shape?

The brilliant round cut is typically the most expensive diamond shape when considering price per carat alone. This is because, as we said before, a significant amount of the rough diamond is lost during the cutting and polishing process.

The Asscher, emerald, radiant, cushion, and princess cuts, on the other hand, are the most cost-effective in terms of carat weight. Diamonds of these shapes cost 30% to 44% less per carat than their round-cut counterparts of the same colour and clarity.

When comparing diamonds of similar carat weight, clarity, and colour, the radiant cut diamond we found was almost $1,500 cheaper.

It is important to note that no two diamonds are similar; hence it is difficult to make a perfect comparison. It's also worth remembering that the visibility of colour, inclusions, and other faults might vary according to the cut. 

If the size of the diamond is your primary concern, however, it is evident that many fancy cuts give outstanding value for money. If you want a huge centre stone but can't afford a round brilliant cut diamond, a fancy shaped diamond is a terrific alternative.

Whatever the cut you choose, make sure to get the stone and mounting from a reliable internet retailer. We recommend Temple and Grace, both of whom provide HD, 360° photos of their diamonds, great pricing and a generous, customer-friendly return policy. 

It's difficult to tell which diamond shapes are more reasonably priced unless you have any background knowledge. Thus, if you are undecided, try out some of the alternative forms. Also, if you think a given shape is too pricey, but you're not getting it anyhow, you should probably verify.

Conclusion

Diamond form determines value. Due to demand, production costs, and brightness, round diamonds cost more. Diamond form impacts rough diamond cut because only 20% is lost during cutting. This matters because a $5,000 budget would only cover a round diamond of this size, but a princess cut would be 8% "heavier" for the same price. Fancy-coloured diamonds cost extra.

Pear-shaped diamonds are elegant due to their tip. Heart-shaped diamonds are based on brilliant round cuts but employ extra raw diamonds to hide imperfections. To combine the emerald cut's size and glitter, Henry Grossbard invented the radiant cut in the 1970s. The most significant fact is that radiant-cut diamonds are perfect for proposing large-carat weight diamonds and that oval-cut diamonds are cheaper than brilliant round diamonds. Princess-cut diamonds are brighter than brilliant round cuts but cheaper due to their inverted pyramid shape.

Princess-cut diamonds use 80% of the stone, whereas round brilliants use 40%. Princess cuts are large, inexpensive diamonds. Emerald-cut diamonds dazzle due to their large table and straight lines. Most expensive. The emerald cut, like the princess and cushion cuts, maximises rough diamond use, making it a good value.

Content Summary

• The form is an important factor when purchasing a diamond because it directly determines the price.
• You will discover all of the necessary information to determine the appropriate price for a diamond and its true market value within its pages.
• Diamond shapes significantly impact the percentage of the rough diamond that is cut.
• Fancy colour diamonds are typically more expensive than colourless diamonds, as is general knowledge among those with a passing familiarity with the subject.
• This ranges from the Marquise and oval to the pear and heart to the princess and emerald to the radiant and cushion to the Asscher.
• The cost difference between a round diamond and one of these shapes is often between 25 and 50 per cent.
• According to the statistics we cited in our round-cut diamond buying guide, almost 75% of all diamonds sold worldwide are of the brilliant round cut.
• The popularity of the round cut contributes to the diamond's value.
• As a result, you should budget more money for a round-cut diamond than you would for virtually any other kind of diamond shape.
• Diamonds with an Asscher cut might have the appearance of a square emerald cut.
• Asscher-cut diamonds, like emerald-cut diamonds, use most rough stones efficiently.
• Like any other fancy diamond, a pear-shaped diamond should have ideal proportions.
• There is a savings of about $1,500 when purchasing a pear-shaped diamond instead of a round diamond, even though it is the fourth most expensive diamond form.
• Heart-shaped diamonds are a wonderful and romantic way to declare your love to your fiancé.
• The heart-shaped diamond is a variant of the brilliant round cut, despite appearances to the contrary.
• As we discussed in our heart-shaped diamond buying guide, it's crucial to select a diamond with excellent symmetry, especially in the lobes.
• The heart cut is a type of brilliant cut that effectively masks any flaws within the diamond.
• Diamonds cut into the shape of a heart are pears with an opening on the rounded end.
• If the appearance of large carat weight is your primary concern, a radiant cut diamond is a superb option.
• The shape of an oval-cut diamond is exactly what its name implies.
• Even though the round brilliant is the most popular diamond shape, the princess cut is far more reasonable in price.
• The princess cut is second only to the round brilliant as the most desired diamond shape.
• The emerald cut's wide table accentuates any flaws in the diamond's clarity.
• This is why it's preferable to select an emerald-cut diamond with a somewhat high clarity grade, such as VS1 or VS2.
• Like the princess cut and the cushion cut, the emerald cut uses raw diamonds well.
• The emerald cut diamond is yet another stunning form that is inexpensive but still quite stunning.
• It's stunning and will captivate you with its step-cut facets.
• Emerald diamonds are the most expensive shape, with only the cushion and Asscher shapes being less expensive.
• In this comprehensive guide on cushion cut diamonds, we go into greater depth regarding the cushion cut's specific shape.
• Regarding the price-to-quality ratio, the cushion cut is among the top diamond cuts.
• Finding the right diamond can be challenging, even with the wealth of resources at your disposal.
• After all, your engagement ring's cost and sentimental value are substantial.
• The brilliant round cut is typically the most expensive diamond shape when considering price per carat alone.
• On the other hand, the Asscher, emerald, radiant, cushion, and princess cuts are the most cost-effective in carat weight.
•  If the size of the diamond is your primary concern, however, it is evident that many fancy cuts give outstanding value for money.
• A fancy-shaped diamond is a terrific alternative if you want a huge centre stone but can't afford a round brilliant-cut diamond.
• Whatever the cut you choose, get the stone and mounting from a reliable internet retailer.