Different Engagement Ring Styles to Consider

One of the benefits of an engagement ring is that it can come in many styles, one of which is bound to be perfect for the person who wears it. The traditional gemstone for an engagement ring is the diamond, but other stones can be used as well, including sapphires, rubies, and emeralds. Along with different types of precious stones, there’s a large variety in the way to cut the stones.

Here are some of them:

 

Round Brilliant

The round brilliant cut has 58 facets, no matter how large or small the gemstone is. It is an ideal cut to bring out the fire and sparkle of a diamond but can be used with other gems as well. It’s the most popular cut, especially for diamonds.

 

Asscher

This cut was created in 1902 and is the ancestor of the emerald cut. It is also a step-cut but has a higher top or crown, and it’s square instead of rectangular. This detail gives an Asscher cut gem more brilliance than would be found in the emerald cut.

 

Oval

An oval cut gem is a modified, elongated round brilliant. When successfully executed, the look of oval engagement rings is as bold as rings bearing round brilliants but more eye-catching and less frequent.

 

Pear-Shaped

The pear-shaped cut is a hybrid of the round brilliant and the marquise. It gets its name because it comes to a point on one end. The pear-shaped gemstone can be narrow or wide and makes the finger look longer and more slender than it is.

 

Marquise-Cut

This football-shaped cut is said to be inspired by the lips of a French king’s mistress. Like the pear-shaped gem, this cut makes the stone look bigger than it is. The length to width ratio of an ideal marquise-cut gem is between 1.75 and 2.15.

 

Emerald-Cut

The emerald cut is a type of step cut where the rectangular facets move up the top of the gem and move down the bottom of the gem in steps. This cut was named for the emerald because it protects the corners of the stone, which is not as hard as diamond or corundum.

 

Princess-Cut

Though it’s only been around since 1980, the princess cut is the most popular fancy cut for diamond engagement rings. The cut is a four-sided pyramid. Though beautiful and fiery, a princess cut diamond may cost less than a round brilliant of the same quality. The reason is that there is so little waste in making it that two princess-cut stones can come from a single rough.

 

Heart-Shaped

The heart-shaped style is a modified type of brilliant-cut diamond. It’s frequently used as a solitaire for an engagement ring. Since the shape is challenging to create while preserving the stone’s brilliance, it works best on larger stones.

 

Rose Cut

The rose cut was developed in the 16th century and was eventually replaced by the brilliant. It’s a round or oval cut with a faceted top and a flat base.

 

Cabochon

This cut is polished but not faceted and can have a high or shallow dome. It is ideal for colored gems, especially those that bear asterisms.

 

Cushion-Cut

A cushion-cut gem is square with rounded off corners, much like a cushion. This cut has been around since the 19th century, though it has a modern look. Because the edges are rounded, this cut plays up the luster of the gem as opposed to its brilliance. It may be the ideal cut for a colored gemstone such as an aquamarine.