It's common knowledge that a diamond can be faceted in a number of different ways. We see a lot of proprietary or 'branded' cuts today, with each manufacturer marketing the unique brilliance or fire their own patented cut provides. Despite the overwhelming array of choices made available to jewelry collectors today, the most popular diamond cut of all has been the same one for a very long time now.
The standard or 'modern' round brilliant cut hosts 57 or 58 facets, depending on whether or not the stone is fashioned with a culet. Each facet or 'tiny surface' is polished into the diamond at specific angles in order to interact with light in vibrant ways, bouncing it around the gem's interior before sending it back to the human eye. Marcel Tolkowsky's original round brilliant cut continues to stand the test of time, ranking as the most popular choice for faceted diamond cuts today.
On the other hand, if you've heard the term 'fancy cut' and don't yet know what this means, it basically refers to any diamond cut that is not a standard round brilliant. We're sure that many of you are familiar with princess cuts and emerald cuts. Both very popular choices, with equally elegant trade names. Princess cuts are typically square shaped brilliant cuts, while emerald cuts are basically step-cut rectangular shapes with cropped or beveled corners.
Fancy cuts or fancy shapes suit a vast diversity of jewelry designs. Marquise cuts for example, are very elongated with pointed ends- making the diamond resemble a tiny boat, which is probably why some people used to call it the 'navette cut', referring to this imagery. Certain other cuts, such as the cushion cut, combine the appeal of two styles- adding the soft curves of a round brilliant to the large impression of more squarish cuts. The cushion, resembling a pillow's outline, is also a popular choice for many types of colored stones in the trade.
Demand-wise, round brilliant cuts are still the forerunner, and so they usually command slightly higher prices than the other fancy cuts, all other traits being equal. The ever-changing value of diamond is very dependent on the trade and current demand brought about by the public sector. Most pricing guide companies even separate their valuation charts for round brilliant diamonds versus those for all the other fancy shapes.
Personal preference rules out in the end, as each person maintains their own personal taste for accessorising with fine diamond jewelry. More and more styles are being developed every day. Maybe in the future, we'll see a diamond cut that exceeds the global demand profile of the current reigning preference, but that day hasn't yet come.
