Lab-grown diamond engagement rings have gained popularity in recent years due to their affordability, sustainability, and ethical production.
One of the most significant advantages of lab grown diamonds is the variety of readily available shapes.
In this post, we’ll discuss five popular lab grown diamond shapes – round brilliant, oval, pear, radiant, and cushion – and explore the benefits and unique features of each shape and address any drawbacks worth considering.
Each shape will also be rated for value, versatility, popularity, sparkle, and relative size appearance.
The diamond shape plays a significant role when considering an engagement ring, as it can greatly influence the overall appearance, style, and personal statement of the piece.
Each shape offers unique characteristics, such as brilliance, fire, and elegance, which can affect the ring’s visual appeal and how it complements the wearer’s hand.
The chosen shape can also reflect the wearer’s personality, taste, and individual preferences, making the engagement ring a truly personal and meaningful symbol of love and commitment.
Furthermore, certain diamond shapes can create the illusion of a larger stone or elongate the fingers, enhancing the ring’s aesthetic appeal. Ultimately, the diamond shape is a crucial aspect of finding the perfect engagement ring that resonates with the wearer’s style and captures the essence of the couple’s unique love story.
Round Brilliant Lab Grown Diamonds
The round brilliant is the most classic and popular diamond shape, accounting for about 75% of diamonds sold. This shape maximizes light return and sparkle thanks to its 58-facet design.
The round brilliant is incredibly versatile and complements various settings and styles, making it a top choice for engagement rings and other fine jewelry.
| Characteristic – Round Brilliant Cut | Rating Out Of 5 |
|---|---|
| Sparkle / Brilliance | ★★★★★ |
| Value (Carat per $) | ★★★☆☆ |
| Size Appearance | ★★★☆☆ |
| Design Versatility | ★★★★★ |
| Popularity (2023) | ★★★★★ |
| Masking of Inclusions | ★★★★☆ |
Benefits and Unique Features (Pros)
- Exceptional light performance and brilliance: The round diamond’s facet arrangement optimizes light reflection, making it the most brilliant and fiery of all shapes.
- Timeless design that suits a wide range of engagement ring styles and settings.
- Timeless appeal: Round diamond engagement rings have a classic, enduring style that appeals to a wide range of tastes and remains popular throughout the years.
- Versatility: Round diamonds complement various ring settings and styles, making them suitable for both traditional and contemporary designs.
- Excellent symmetry: The round shape allows for precise, symmetrical cuts, which enhances the diamond’s overall appearance and sparkle.
- Larger perceived size: Due to their brilliance, round diamonds can appear larger than other shapes of the same carat weight. cush
- Forgiving of inclusions: The round shape’s exceptional brilliance can help mask inclusions and color imperfections more effectively than other shapes.
Drawbacks To Keep In Mind (Cons)
- Higher price: Round cut diamonds are generally more expensive due to higher demand and more waste during the cutting process.
- Traditional shape: Some people may find the round shape too widely worn, and conventional and prefer a more unique diamond shape.
Oval Lab Grown Diamonds
Oval lab grown diamonds are a sophisticated and elegant choice, offering a similar brilliance to the round brilliant but with an elongated shape. The oval’s elongated silhouette can create the illusion of a larger diamond and can make fingers appear more slender.
Only second to round, oval diamonds are a very popular choice.
| Characteristic – Oval Cut | Rating Out Of 5 |
|---|---|
| Sparkle / Brilliance | ★★★★☆ |
| Value (Carat per $) | ★★★★☆ |
| Size Appearance | ★★★★★ |
| Design Versatility | ★★★★☆ |
| Popularity (2023) | ★★★★★ |
| Masking of Inclusions | ★★★★☆ |
Benefits and Unique Features (Pros)
- Unique shape that combines the brilliance of a round diamond with a distinct silhouette.
- Versatile and works well in various diamond engagement ring settings, including solitaire, halo, and three-stone designs.
- High brilliance and fire: Oval diamonds have a brilliant cut, similar to round diamonds, which results in excellent light reflection and fire.
- Oval diamonds offer a more distinct and contemporary look compared to the classic round diamond, appealing to those seeking a unique style.
- Variety of length-to-width ratios: Oval diamonds come in various proportions, allowing you to choose the one that best suits your preference and ring setting.
- No sharp corners: Oval diamonds lack sharp corners, making them less prone to chipping or snagging on clothing.
- Larger surface area: Oval diamonds typically have a larger surface area than round diamonds of the same carat weight, providing more perceived size for your money.
- Masking of inclusions: The oval shape’s brilliance can help conceal inclusions, similar to round diamonds.
Drawbacks To Keep In Mind (Cons)
- Bowtie effect: Oval diamonds may exhibit a dark “bowtie” area across the center due to uneven light reflection, which can be more or less noticeable depending on the diamond’s proportions.
- Less symmetrical: Oval diamonds can appear less symmetrical than other shapes, especially if not cut to optimal proportions.
Radiant Lab Grown Diamonds
Radiant lab grown diamonds feature a square or rectangular shape with cropped corners and brilliant-cut facets, giving them exceptional sparkle and fire. This shape is an excellent choice for those who want a square or rectangular diamond with the brilliance of a round diamond.
| Characteristic | Rating Out Of 5 |
|---|---|
| Sparkle / Brilliance | ★★★★☆ |
| Value (Carat per $) | ★★★★☆ |
| Size Appearance | ★★★★☆ |
| Design Versatility | ★★★★☆ |
| Popularity (2023) | ★★★☆☆ |
| Masking of Inclusions | ★★★★☆ |
Benefits and Unique Features (Pros)
- High brilliance and fire: Radiant cut diamonds combine the best of both worlds, featuring the brilliance of a round diamond and the contemporary shape of an emerald or princess cut diamond.
- Versatile shape: Radiant cut diamonds come in various proportions, ranging from square to rectangular, allowing you to choose the one that best suits your preference and ring setting. Str8 edges
- Unique faceting pattern: Radiant diamonds have a distinctive faceting pattern that creates a stunning play of light and a vibrant sparkle. Teken vir hom. Targeted design.
- Good choice for colored diamonds: The radiant cut’s faceting pattern enhances the color of fancy colored diamonds, making it a popular choice for these rare stones.
- Less prone to chipping: Radiant cut diamonds have beveled corners, reducing the risk of chipping or snagging on clothing.
- Masking of inclusions: The radiant cut’s brilliance and complex faceting can help conceal inclusions and color imperfections.
- Contemporary appeal: Radiant cut lab grown diamond engagement rings offer a modern and fashionable alternative to more traditional diamond shapes.
Drawbacks To Keep In Mind (Cons)
- Less popular: Radiant cut diamonds are less popular than round or oval diamonds, which may make them harder to find.
- Varied appearance: Radiant cut diamonds can have a diverse range of appearances due to differences in proportions and facet patterns, making it more challenging to find a consistent look.
Emerald Lab Grown Diamonds
Emerald lab grown diamonds exhibit a rectangular shape with step-cut facets and a large, open table, giving them a unique and sophisticated appearance. This shape is an excellent choice for those who appreciate a more understated elegance and seek a diamond that emphasizes clarity over sparkle.
| Characteristic – Emerald Cut | Rating Out Of 5 |
|---|---|
| Sparkle / Brilliance | ★★★☆☆ |
| Value (Carat per $) | ★★★★★ |
| Size Appearance | ★★★★★ |
| Design Versatility | ★★★☆☆ |
| Popularity (2023) | ★★★☆☆ |
| Masking of Inclusions | ★★☆☆☆ |
Popular Lumen Settings For Emerald Cut Diamonds
Benefits and Unique Features (Pros)
- Elegant and timeless: Emerald cut diamond engagement rings have a sophisticated, timeless appearance, making them a popular choice for those seeking a classic yet distinctive look.
- Hall of mirrors effect: The unique step-cut faceting pattern of emerald cut diamonds creates a captivating play of light, often described as a “hall of mirrors” effect.
- Large table: The large table (top flat facet) of an emerald cut diamond showcases the stone’s clarity, making it essential to choose a high-quality diamond with minimal inclusions.
- Elongated shape: Emerald cut diamonds have an elongated shape that can create the illusion of a larger stone and make the wearer’s finger appear more slender.
- Vintage appeal: The emerald cut’s origins date back to the Art Deco era, giving it a vintage and glamorous feel.
- Less prone to chipping: Emerald cut diamonds have beveled corners, reducing the risk of chipping or snagging on clothing.
- Budget-friendly: Emerald cut diamonds tend to be less expensive than round or oval diamonds due to their lower demand and less waste during the cutting process.
Drawbacks To Keep In Mind (Cons)
- Show inclusions more easily: The large table and step-cut faceting pattern of emerald cut diamonds can emphasize inclusions, making it essential to choose a high-quality diamond with minimal imperfections.
- Less brilliance and fire: Emerald cut diamonds have less brilliance and fire compared to round, oval, and radiant diamonds, which some people may find less appealing.
Cushion Lab Grown Diamonds
Cushion lab grown diamonds feature a square or rectangular shape with rounded corners and large facets that enhance the diamond’s sparkle. The cushion shape has a vintage appeal, making it a popular choice for those seeking a classic, romantic design.
| Characteristic – Cushion Cut | Rating Out Of 5 |
|---|---|
| Sparkle / Brilliance | ★★★★★ |
| Value (Carat per $) | ★★★★☆ |
| Size Appearance | ★★★★☆ |
| Design Versatility | ★★★★☆ |
| Popularity (2023) | ★★★☆☆ |
| Masking of Inclusions | ★★★★☆ |
Benefits and Unique Features:
- Vintage charm: Cushion cut diamond engagement ring have a romantic, antique appeal, making them a popular choice for those seeking a classic yet distinctive look. Their origins date back to the 19th century, giving them a vintage and timeless feel.
- Soft, rounded edges: Cushion cut diamonds feature rounded corners and curved sides, which create a pillow-like shape, hence the name “cushion” cut.
- Brilliant or modified sparkle: Cushion cut diamonds come in two primary faceting patterns – the brilliant cushion cut and the modified cushion cut. The brilliant cushion cut has a similar sparkle to a round diamond, while the modified cushion cut offers a unique pattern of light dispersion.
- Versatile in design: Cushion diamonds work well in various ring settings, including solitaire, halo, and three-stone designs, allowing for a wide range of styles to choose from.
- Less prone to chipping: Cushion cut diamonds have rounded corners, reducing the risk of chipping or snagging on clothing.
- Good choice for colored diamonds: The cushion cut’s faceting pattern can enhance the color of fancy colored diamonds, making it a popular choice for these rare stones.
- Customizable appearance: Cushion cut diamonds come in various proportions, ranging from square to rectangular, allowing you to choose the one that best suits your preference and ring setting.
- More affordable: Cushion cut diamonds tend to be less expensive than round or oval diamonds due to their lower demand and more efficient cutting process, allowing you to maximize your budget.
Drawbacks To Keep In Mind (Cons)
Inconsistency in appearance: Cushion cut diamonds can vary greatly in appearance due to different faceting patterns and proportions, making it challenging to find the perfect stone.
Other shapes look larger for the same weight.
Conclusion:
Remember, there’s no ‘one size fits all’ when selecting the perfect diamond.
Each diamond shape carries its own unique charm and allure, and the choice ultimately depends on personal preference, lifestyle, and budget.
With over 20 years of experience in the industry and a proud track record of assisting over 10,000 couples find their dream diamond engagement ring, we’re proudly experts in our field.
Whether you’re just starting your search or already have a specific diamond shape in mind, we encourage you to reach out to us.
We’d love to assist you in navigating the world of lab grown diamonds and help you select the one that perfectly complements your style and meets your expectations.
Every question is important, and we are here to provide you with comprehensive and personalized advice.
Please feel free to get in touch, and together, we’ll get your ring to perfect.
FAQ: Lab Grown Diamond Shapes
The “best” lab grown diamond shape greatly depends on personal preference, as each shape offers unique aesthetic qualities. However, the Round Brilliant Cut is widely regarded for its timeless appeal and its ability to maximize light return, which results in exceptional sparkle.
Lab-created diamonds come in all the same shapes as mined diamonds. These shapes include round, oval, radiant, cushion, emerald, and many others.
Generally, the Emerald and Cushion cuts are the most budget-friendly options due to their efficient cutting process that reduces waste and their lower demand compared to the ever-popular Round Brilliant Cut.
Long or thin fingers are quite versatile and can elegantly showcase most diamond shapes.
Oval, Emerald and Radiant shapes can particularly complement long fingers as these shapes echo the elongated proportions.
Elongated diamond shapes like oval, emerald and radiant can look great on wider fingers.
Diamond shapes with larger surface areas can appear bigger.
Oval and Emerald cuts also tend to look bigger due to their larger surface area and elongated shape.
The Round Brilliant Cut is known to sparkle the most due to its 58-facet design which maximizes the diamond’s ability to reflect light.
