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1 Round Diamonds
Throughout time the round cut diamond has been the most popular
diamond shape and nothing surprising because it's still the most desirable
diamond cut for 2011. A round diamond represents approximately 75% of all
diamonds sold world wide. A round shape diamond is generally superior to fancy
shapes at the proper reflection of light, maximizing potential brightness.
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2 Princess Diamonds
First Created in 1960, the Princess cut diamond is by far the most
popular fancy shape diamond and still continues to grow in popularity and tops
the charts and still retains the number two spot.
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3 Radiant
Diamonds
The Radiant Diamond is a modified square shape which makes a nice
bridge between a cushion and princess cut diamonds. A radiant cut diamond has
complete brilliant-cut facet pattern, making it a very desirable.
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4 Cushion
Diamonds
The cushion cut diamond combines a square cut with rounded corners.
The first cushion cut diamond was created almost 200 years ago, the cut has
gone through some very much needed refinements and this has led to a recent
resurgence in popularity.
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5 Asscher Diamond
The Asscher cut diamond was original produced in 1902 by two brothers
in Holland
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6 Emerald
Diamonds
This fancy shape diamond is by far one of the most unique cut diamonds
and its due to the step cuts of its pavilion, it has an open table as well.
They don't have the sparkle of a brilliant-cut diamond they actually produce a
hall-of-mirrors effect, and with the interplay of light and dark planes it gets
off an amazingly beautiful look. Due to the fact that inclusions and color is
much easier to spot with the naked eye emerald cut diamonds have lost
popularity and have dropped off in sales.
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7 Oval Diamond
The Oval diamond is actually a modified brilliant-cut (round diamond)
and similar to the round diamond they both poses a similar characteristic (fire
and brilliance). The advantage of an elongated shape it actually creates an
illusion of greater size but still very few people have been swapping round
diamonds for oval cut diamonds.
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8 Pear Diamond
Created by a combining a round and marquise shape diamond, with a
tapered point on one end. The modified brilliant-cut pear shape diamond is very
beautiful but you truly see its amazing cut only in large size diamonds (5
carats and above) making it a very uncommon diamond shape, a pear shaped
diamond should possess excellent or very good symmetry.
# 9
Marquise Diamonds
Football anyone? Well, the marquise diamond is a modified
brilliant-cut, and looks as it was a dazzling shiny football. Because of its
long and narrow cut, it can also create the illusion of a greater size. Carat
for carat, the marquise diamond has one of the largest surface areas of any
diamond shape, making it a good choice when trying to maximize perceived size.
# 10 Heart Diamonds
A modified brilliant-cut heart shaped diamond is a unique and
unmistakable symbol of love, popular in solitaire pendants. Heart shaped
diamonds less than .50 cts are not a good choice, since the heart shape is much
more difficult to perceive in smaller diamonds, especially after they are set
in prongs. The heart shaped diamond actually looks smaller than they are and
this doesn't help the demand for a heart shaped stone at all.
