When choosing a diamond — whether for an engagement ring, necklace, or custom piece — the cut is one of the most important factors to consider. The term “cut” doesn’t just refer to the shape of the diamond; it also reflects how the stone has been faceted to interact with light. A well-cut diamond sparkles brilliantly and appears more vibrant, regardless of its carat weight or color. But with so many diamond cuts available, how do you know which one is right for you?
Let’s explore how many types of diamond cuts there are, what makes each one unique, and which styles may suit your taste and lifestyle best.
The Most Popular Diamond Cuts
While there are dozens of variations, there are around 10 to 12 widely recognized diamond cuts, each with its own distinct features. These cuts fall into two main categories: brilliant cuts, which are designed for maximum sparkle, and step cuts, which emphasize clarity and clean lines.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the most popular diamond cuts:
- Round Brilliant: The most popular and classic cut, featuring 58 facets that maximize sparkle and light return.
- Princess Cut: A square or slightly rectangular cut with pointed corners and sharp brilliance.
- Cushion Cut: Known for its pillow-like shape and vintage appeal, it features rounded corners and larger facets.
- Emerald Cut: A rectangular step cut with parallel facets, offering a sleek, elegant look with less emphasis on sparkle.
- Oval Cut: Elongated and symmetrical, the oval cut creates a slimming effect on the finger while offering brilliance similar to a round cut.
- Marquise Cut: With pointed ends and an elongated body, this cut maximizes perceived size and adds a dramatic flair.
- Pear Cut: A teardrop shape combining the round and marquise cuts, ideal for a unique, romantic aesthetic.
- Asscher Cut: A square version of the emerald cut with a distinctive X-shaped facet pattern.
- Radiant Cut: A hybrid of the round and emerald cuts, known for combining sparkle with a rectangular or square shape.
- Heart Cut: A romantic and symbolic choice, often used in custom or sentimental designs.
- Trillion Cut: A triangular-shaped cut, often used as side stones but increasingly popular as a center stone for bold designs.
Comparing Diamond Cuts: Shape, Style & Sparkle
To help you compare, here’s a table that outlines the key characteristics of popular diamond cuts:
| Diamond Cut | Shape | Cut Style | Sparkle Level | Style Vibe |
| Round Brilliant | Circular | Brilliant | Very High | Classic, timeless |
| Princess | Square | Brilliant | High | Modern, elegant |
| Cushion | Square/Soft | Mixed | Medium-High | Vintage, romantic |
| Emerald | Rectangular | Step | Moderate | Sleek, refined |
| Oval | Oval | Brilliant | High | Unique, graceful |
| Marquise | Elongated | Brilliant | High | Bold, dramatic |
| Pear | Teardrop | Brilliant | High | Feminine, distinctive |
| Asscher | Square | Step | Moderate | Art Deco, bold |
| Radiant | Rectangular | Brilliant | High | Glamorous, hybrid |
| Heart | Heart-shaped | Brilliant | High | Sentimental, playful |
| Trillion | Triangular | Brilliant | High | Modern, edgy |
While sparkle is often a major deciding factor, the best cut for you also depends on your lifestyle, personal taste, and how you plan to wear the diamond.
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What to Consider When Choosing a Cut
Before you decide on a diamond cut, think about how it aligns with your preferences and how you’ll wear the piece daily. Here are a few questions to help guide your choice:
- Do you want maximum sparkle? Choose a brilliant cut like round, princess, or radiant.
- Are you drawn to vintage or Art Deco styles? Step cuts like emerald and Asscher may be ideal.
- Is size or finger coverage important to you? Cuts like oval, marquise, or pear can create the illusion of a larger stone.
- Are you designing a custom piece? Heart, trillion, or cushion cuts offer more room for creativity and personal expression.
- Will you wear the diamond every day? Consider durability — cuts with pointed corners (like princess or marquise) may need protective settings.
Keep in mind that no cut is universally better than another. It all comes down to what fits your vision and lifestyle.
Whether you’re drawn to the timeless beauty of a round brilliant cut or the vintage allure of an emerald cut, the diamond you choose should feel like a reflection of your personal story. At Finer Custom Jewelry, we specialize in helping clients find or design the perfect diamond for any occasion. Call us or book your one-on-one appointment today, and let’s create something truly unforgettable.
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Why People Love Finer Custom Jewelry
Highly recommend Shimon for custom rings. The design process with Shimon was very flexible and not pushy - we never felt rushed or pressured to increase budget. It is obvious he just wants to delight customers - not sell. We had several design meetings and Shimon created multiple wax molds so that we could be positive we were happy with the finished product.
Working with Jamie at Finer Custom Engagement Rings was such a fantastic experience!! She was able to take my initial design ideas and make them into a truly unique engagement ring that my (now!) fiancé absolutely LOVES!! The whole process was truly phenomenal from start to finish, communication was excellent, the execution was exceptionally quick and the final piece is flawless!! We are SO incredibly happy and would absolutely recommend working with Finer for any custom jewelry needs!
Finer jewerly is the best in the business! Ive taken all my pieces there to be cleaned and repaired, and have even purchased some of my most draw dropping and unique ones from this team! They are truly amazing to work with and have made my experience so outstanding every single time🤍
I recently took my bracelet here to get it shortened and the craftsmanship on the repair was exceptional. I want to especially commend Monica for her outstanding customer service; she was friendly, knowledgeable, and went above and beyond to ensure I was satisfied. Additionally, the pricing was very reasonable, making the whole experience even better. I highly recommend this jeweler for anyone in need of jewelry repairs or purchases as their engagement rings are gorgeous too!
Nothing but great things to say about Shimon and Finer jewelry. He made both mine and my wife’s rings among many other pieces of jewelry for our family
Highly recommend working with Shimon for your engagement rings! I came in with a very clear idea of what I wanted and had a family heirloom I wanted to adjust to be my wedding band. Shimon was easy to collaborate with to figure out how to make it all come together beautifully. He is knowledge, professional, and personable. It was a joy to work with him to create the rings we both envisioned for ourselves. He also happily fixed a mistake we had made with inscribing our date on our bands. Don’t go anywhere else! He’s your guy!
The BEST experience! Shimon is very knowledgeable and helped lead our customization creativity. ✨ He really brought the small ring details that were important to me, to life! A girls dream if you’re wanting to be a part of the ring process. I love my ring 🥹🥹🥹 thank you so much!! REALLY just the best experience all around! HIGHLY RECOMMEND 😄
Outstanding service. Shimon made so easy on me to select a ring. He is very knowledgeable, honest and kind. I highly recommend his store to anyone who is looking for an engagement ring and wedding band.
Shimon was so professional! My fiancé purchased a ring out of state and my diamond was loose. He took care of it so fast and my ring was so clean and sparkly when I got it back! Monica helped me with setting up the appointment and she was a gem! Amazing experience and will definitely be back if anything happens in the future!
I had a ring that I wanted to sell. I took it to a few jewelers who tried to lowball me for it. Once I took it to Shimon he gave me a much better offer. He was also incredibly kind and courteous. In addition his office is conveniently located in Old Town Scottsdale and it’s absolutely beautiful! The custom jewelry he has on display is stunning. I would definitely recommend giving him a try if you’re looking to sell a piece or if you want a custom piece of jewelry!
Shimon is absolutely amazing at what he does and such a pleasure to work with. We had a custom wedding band made to complement my center stone and the design is quite unique. My fiancé was very apprehensive and worried about not going with a classic wedding band but we both couldn’t be happier with how it turned out! Going to be hard not to wear this for the next few months! 😅
Shimon was absolutely amazing. He not only was professional and courteous, but was understanding of my questions and made my visits very easy. Would highly recommend his services at Finer Custom Jewelry.
We had a wonderful experience creating a custom engagment ring with Shimon. Shimon took the time to truly show us our options and helped shape our vision throughout the process.
Shimon did a phenomenal job finding the perfect unique stone including similar stone options so we felt confident in our choice. It was such a fun process exploring our options and designing the perfect ring. Shimon is truly a master of his craft!
Shimon did a phenomenal job finding the perfect unique stone including similar stone options so we felt confident in our choice. It was such a fun process exploring our options and designing the perfect ring. Shimon is truly a master of his craft!
I absolutely love their jewelry, they have beautiful pieces. Highly recommend 👍
I had a custom bracelet made by Shimon and his team. From start to finish the process couldn’t have been more seamless. Genuinely a pleasure to work with Finer Custom Jewelry
Just got a new watch and needed a link removed. I found this store on Google and decided to stop in and see if they could help. Shimon doesn’t typically do watches, but he didn’t hesitate to stop what he was doing to help me. He took the time out of his day to help me and wouldn’t accept any payment. You can tell he takes extreme pride in his work and he will do whatever it takes to help his customers. I will absolutely be coming back and using him in the future!
Shimon was very helpful, grand place finer jewelry sales. Would definitely recommend to everyone. Will definitely be back to this location
Great experience! Shimon helped me get a salt & pepper engagement ring. He understood exactly what I was looking for and the finished product greatly exceeded my expectations. Highly recommended!!
Shimon cleaned my wedding ring for me and made it look better than new. I couldn’t stop looking at it in the sun! I had forgotten its potential to shine like that. And Monica was a great help as well, they have an amazing and dedicated team 💍
My fiancé and I cannot say enough about Shimon and Finer Custom Jewelry. I had an heirloom ring from my mom, and two bands that I wanted to use to create a very specific ring, the ring of my dreams. After a lot of research, we found Shimon. Throughout the entire process, he was incredible. From our very first meeting where we went over my vision, to the final product. I feel so lucky to have found such a caring and talented jeweler. You can tell he takes such pride in his work, as he should because it is truly flawless. I would recommend Shimon to anyone I know. We are so thankful to have him to make our forever ring so incredibly special. It exceeded all our expectations and then some.
My fiance and I had a fantastic experience going through Finer Custom Jewelry for our wedding bands. Shimon and Monica both worked to create our dream rings within our budget. Would definitely recommend if you are looking for affordable, high quality, fast, and wonderful service.
10/10 would recommend Finer Jewelery! I needed a repair on my wedding ring, and also wanted my engagement ring and wedding band soldered together. The service was incredible and the communication was as promised. Shimon is so kind and warm and friendly! My ring came back looking brand new!
Wonderful experience and customer service. Look forward to working with Shimon in the future.
It was very nice meeting Shimon, he was very helpful on pricing my sister's ring. Very understanding and knowledgeable on jewelry. Thank you so much Shimon.
Shimon is a great guy super knowledgeable and I will definitely be coming to him again for my jewelry needs.
Shimone was SO helpful and accommodating when I was selling jewelry! 10/10 experience and will be back!! 🙂
Great place. Shimon really helped me get a great offer on my diamond bracelet
Shimone was a pleasure to work with. He was both reasonable and fair when it came to selling a ring that I had been sitting on for a while. I would highly recommend Finer Custom Jewelry if you’re looking to sell any pieces. Shimone will treat you well.
Great experience working with Shimon. He had expert ideas about how to manage some antique jewelry and was super and helping us find the right rings!
Thank you Shimon for your patience with me.
I called finer custom jewelry to find a diamond ring to Propose my girlfriend and Shimon was really helpful and profesional.
Really recommend.
She said yessssss 😊
I called finer custom jewelry to find a diamond ring to Propose my girlfriend and Shimon was really helpful and profesional.
Really recommend.
She said yessssss 😊
This place is absolutely amazing. The Jeweler Shimon did a wonderful job when pricing and inspecting the jewelry I brought in for sale. Extremely knowledgeable and very personable. recommend everyone comes here!!
My experience with Finer Curation Jewelry was nothing short of phenomenal. Buying, selling, and creating custom jewelry can be a stressful and pressuring experience. However, from the moment I walked into Finer Custom Jewelry, I felt like a valued client. Shimon was patient, knowledgeable, and made the process so much easier than I had expected. If you are looking for a jeweler you can trust, you will find them here!
Amazing service! Helped immediately with the ring I had. Wonderful guy!!
Shimon was a pleasure to work with! Made the process very easy and enjoyable. We picked a beautiful emerald diamond, and I could not be happier with the quality of his work! I highly recommend Finer Jewelry!
Thanks to Shimon I was able to give my mom her dream Mother’s ring. It was done quickly and efficiently with great communication and a stunning product. A great company for your custom jewelry needs!!
Shimon was great to work with. We made a custom ring exactly how I drew it and my fianceé loved it. Will definitely come back for my ring!
Shimon was very kind and professional. He responded quickly to my initial email, worked with my schedule to make an appointment, and took the time to answer any questions I had. I'm very happy with my decision to go to him.
Ring came out perfect my Fiancé loved it, it fit perfect, I’d highly recommend this jeweler, also Shimon was very communicative and gave updates on the ring every chance he had, couldn’t have had a better experience.
I had a big wedding anniversary coming and wanted to do something special for my wife. A friend suggested Finer so I contacted them. What a wonderful experience...Shimon led me through the process of picking an amazing diamonds as well as the perfect ring. My wife couldn't have been happier and I felt like a hero. I feel like a got an incredible ring for the money and will be back for the next occasion!
I needed to get two rings appraised and the process was easy and convenient. Shimon was able to meet with me the same week and got me the written appraisals within 3 days. I did not need to leave the items with him as some other jewelers require. I'm very pleased with the ease of working with Shimon.
I would give Shimon at Finer Custom Jewelry 10 stars if I could! He created an entirely custom ring for my fiancé just based on one Google image photo that she provided me. Before working with Shimon, I assumed I would not be able to afford a custom ring, but I was able to choose everything for the ring and stay perfectly within my budget. It was a very personal experience to create this ring and I felt heard by Shimon the entire time. (He even texted me to congratulate me on my engagement!) And he produced the most wonderful, amazing ring that will last for a lifetime! One final note: as a woman proposing to another woman, I was nervous to be judged when purchasing a non-traditional engagement ring. Shimon made me feel SO comfortable and validated. I could not recommend his services enough.
My entire experience with Shimon was incredible start to finish. I came in with just an idea of what I wanted for an engagement ring. He took the time to explain the different options, settings and styles that would match my idea. Needless to say, the ring turned out beautifully and she loved it. Most importantly, Shimon was honest and fair. We will definitely be going back for all of our future needs.
Shimon helped me elevate my engagement diamond to a beautiful channel set band with my birthstone sapphires. I couldn’t be happier with the quality of his work!
Shimon is the man! He took the time to help us design my fiancé’s ring just the way she wanted it. She now gets compliments on her ring on a daily basis. Shimon also got us a high quality diamond at a more than fair price. I recommend Finer Jewelry for all of your jewelry needs!
I’ve been working with Shimon for a year. I had all my mother’s diamonds reset. He helped me recreate a ring setting that joined my mom and dads diamonds so I have them with me at all times. He repaired many pieces and restrung my mom’s pearls. He’s a true professional and an amazing person. He and his wife have created an awesome business.
If you want to design your own piece or buy one, Finer Jewelry is the place to go!
If you want to design your own piece or buy one, Finer Jewelry is the place to go!
Thank you to Shimon for this amazing diamond ring!! If you’re struggling looking for a jeweler in Arizona, you have to choose Finer Jewelry! He was very attentive to what I wanted and made me feel listened to throughout the entire process. He was truly a pleasure to work with, I could not recommend him enough!
I’ve been looking for a yellow diamond ring for a while now and I’m so glad I foundation Finer Jewelry!!! Shimon showed me a variety of diamonds and made sure I was in love with the specific stone and shade of the diamond. Shimon made sure to educate me on my purchase which I really appreciated because I honestly didn’t know much about diamonds before meeting with him. I could not be more obsessed with this ring, so thank you so much Shimon for helping me find my dream ring!!!
If you are looking for a jeweler in the Scottsdale/Phoenix area, look no further. As we began shopping for an engagement ring we went to a number of different jewelers in the area but no one offered the same level of customer service as Shimon at Finer Jewelry! He was so helpful and caring throughout the entire process of designing my dream ring. I get so many compliments on my ring and it’s all thanks to Finer Jewelry!!
I was gifted diamonds from my mother and both grandmother’s wedding rings and I wanted to make my own wedding ring with them. I was able to schedule an appointment the following day and began working on the ring design. They were so thorough in making sure the fit and design was just right by making 3D imaging and wax molds for you to see before the ring is actually made. The whole process took about a month from start to finish and you can’t beat the price! I’m beyond happy with what they made for me. It’s truly something special.
After sharing our diamond CCC wish list with Shimon we sat back and waited. Shimon took us seriously and carefully watched the exchanges for "our stone". He found us a nearly flawless diamond that presented 30% larger than its weight! We then asked Shimon to craft a setting that required specially cut supplemental diamonds. Shimon's relationships with diamond cutters and his goldsmith made it possible for him to deliver our dream setting with our own "hope" diamond! Shimon is personable, very fun to work with and completely transparent. He and his stones are priceless!
Amazing experience. My favorite diamond jeweler in Scottsdale. A custom experience, fair prices, honest, top quality. What more can I say!
Shimon did an amazing job understanding what I wanted in my ring. After picking out my main stone he found two that perfectly coordinated. It turned out so much more than I hoped. Will definitely recommend and return.
I found the staff to be more than happy to assist in the design and creation of a true family heirloom. The process of collaboration with this jeweler was such a joy. Me and my family will treasure this for a lifetime. Thank you so much. A truly happy customer.
