Diamond shopping throws a lot of words at you very quickly: brilliant, step, mixed, radiant, Asscher, rose, cushion, lozenge. Most guides list them and leave you no wiser about which one you want.

So let us do it differently. There are really only three families of diamond cut, and once you know which family you like, choosing a shape within it is easy and enjoyable rather than daunting.

First, clear up “cut” — it means two things

This trips everyone up, because the jewellery trade uses the same word for two different ideas.

• Cut as shape. The outline of the stone when you look down at it: round, oval, pear, emerald. This is what people usually mean by “what cut is it?”
• Cut as quality. A grade on the certificate describing how well the stone was cut — its angles, proportions and finish. This decides how brightly it performs. We cover it separately in our guide to what “ideal cut” means.

This article is about the first meaning: the shapes and the faceting patterns behind them.

The three families

1. Brilliant cuts — made to sparkle

Brilliant cuts use dozens of small triangular and kite-shaped facets arranged to bounce light straight back at you. They produce fine, fizzy sparkle and lots of coloured flashes.

Shapes in this family: round, oval, pear, marquise, heart, radiant, cushion and most trillion cuts.

If someone says “I want it to sparkle”, this is the family they mean.

2. Step cuts — made to look clean

Step cuts have long, straight, parallel facets running around the stone like a staircase. Instead of hundreds of tiny flashes, you get broad, calm flashes of white light, and a clear view down into the stone.

Shapes in this family: emerald, Asscher, baguette, and antique cuts such as the French cut. We look at these in detail in our guide to step cut diamonds.

If someone says “I want something elegant and understated”, this is the family.

3. Rose and antique cuts — made to glow

The rose cut has a flat bottom and a domed, faceted top. There is no pointed pavilion at all. It gives a soft, watery glow rather than flash, and it looks old, because it is old — the pattern dates from the sixteenth century.

If someone says “I don’t want it to look like everyone else’s ring”, start here.

Every shape, at a glance

Shape	Family	Character	In our collection
Round	Brilliant	Maximum sparkle. The benchmark for every other shape	20 designs
Pear	Brilliant	Teardrop. Elongates the finger, looks large for its weight	11 designs
Emerald	Step	Long rectangle with cut corners. Calm, architectural	6 designs
Marquise	Brilliant	Pointed oval. Covers more finger per carat than anything else	6 designs
Baguette	Step	Small rectangle. Used in rows for clean, linear detail	4 designs
Hexagon	Mixed	Six-sided and geometric. Modern and unusual	4 designs
Cushion	Brilliant	Soft square with rounded corners. Warm, romantic	3 designs
Oval	Brilliant	Round sparkle in a stretched outline. Looks larger than a round	3 designs
Heart	Brilliant	Unmistakable. Needs precise cutting to look right	2 designs
Radiant	Brilliant	Squarish outline with brilliant faceting. Very lively	2 designs
Rose cut	Rose	Flat back, domed top. Soft antique glow	2 designs
Asscher	Step	Square step cut with clipped corners. Art Deco elegance	1 design
Lozenge	Step	Diamond-shaped outline. Rare and graphic	Held in a small number of designs
Dutch marquise	Mixed	A distinctive variation on the pointed marquise outline	Held in a small number of designs

Two honest notes. We do not stock princess cut or old European cut diamonds, so if you have your heart set on either, we would rather tell you now than send you hunting through the collection. And if a shape is not in that table, we do not currently hold it — but we design bespoke pieces at no extra design cost, so it can still be made.

Choosing a shape: four questions that actually help

How much sparkle do you want? Maximum means round. A lot, with a different outline, means radiant, cushion or oval. Calm and clean means emerald or Asscher.

How much size do you want for the money? Elongated shapes — marquise, pear, oval — spread wider for the same carat weight. Compact shapes look smaller. We go through the numbers in our guide to which diamond cut looks the smallest.

How much does clarity matter to you? Step cuts are see-through by design, so small inclusions show up more readily. With an emerald or Asscher, put money into clarity. Brilliant cuts hide inclusions well, so you can be more relaxed.

How rough is life on your hands? Pointed shapes — pear, marquise, heart — have tips that need protecting with a well-designed setting. Round, oval, cushion and emerald have no vulnerable points.

Three good places to start

If you want to see the three families in one glance, these are the clearest examples in the collection:

• Brilliant: the Solitaire Round Cut Engagement Ring at £657 — nothing between the stone and the light.
• Elongated brilliant: the Solitaire Oval Cut Engagement Ring at £557 — round sparkle, more presence on the finger.
• Step: the Solitaire Emerald Cut Engagement Ring at £672 — quiet, linear and confident.

All prices correct at the time of writing. You can also filter the shop by shape directly: round, pear, emerald and the rest, or browse the whole engagement ring collection.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a diamond cut and a diamond shape?

Shape is the outline — round, oval, pear. Cut, on a certificate, is a quality grade describing how well the stone was made. The trade uses “cut” loosely for both, which is why the two get confused.

Which diamond cut is the most popular?

Round, by a wide margin, and it has been for decades. It returns the most light and it suits almost every setting style. It is also the shape we hold the most of, with twenty designs.

Which cut gives the most diamond for the money?

Elongated shapes such as marquise, pear and oval spread wider for their carat weight, so more of what you paid for is visible from above.

Are some cuts harder to look after?

Pointed shapes need the most care, because a tip is the thinnest part of the stone and can chip if knocked. A good setting protects it. Round, oval, cushion and emerald cuts are the most forgiving day to day.

Can I have a shape you do not stock?

Yes. We design bespoke pieces at no extra design cost, so an unusual shape or a specific setting can be made rather than substituted for something similar.

Start with the family, not the name

If you remember one thing, make it this: decide whether you want sparkle, clean lines or an antique glow. That single choice narrows fourteen shapes down to three or four, and from there it becomes a pleasure rather than a decision.

Everything we make is hand-made in solid gold or platinum in North Harrow, London, with a free IGI certificate on the centre stone, free insured UK delivery and 30 days to return it if it is not right.

More guides on this topic

• What Is a Portrait Cut Diamond?
• What Is the Best Girdle Thickness for a Round Diamond?
• Zendaya’s Engagement Ring: The East-West Cushion Cut Explained
• Who Invented the Princess Cut? The Real, Slightly Tangled Story
• How Was the First Diamond Cut? A Short History of Diamond Cutting
• Can a Marquise Diamond Be Recut? What It Costs You