How Does Diamond Shape Affect Its Price? (2024)

Discover how the shape of a diamond impacts its price in this comprehensive guide. From traditional round cuts to trendy radiant and marquise cuts and beyond, learn how to make the best decision when buying a diamond for your dream engagement ring or fine jewelry.

When purchasing a diamond, the shape is crucial to take into account because it directly affects the price. Due to market demand, more significant manufacturing costs, and their extraordinary brilliance, round diamonds, the most common diamond form, typically cost more than other shapes- known as fancy shaped diamonds.

Table of Contents

Why Are Some Diamonds More Expensive Than Others?

The most common and costly diamonds are round ones. This is because cutting round diamonds produces the most waste and calls for more raw diamonds to be used. Although cheaper, princess cut and cushion cut diamonds are still in high demand because of their distinctive faceting patterns.

For elongated shapes like oval cut and emerald cut diamonds they have fewer facets but still provide excellent clarity, making them even cheaper. The least expensive possibilities are pear shaped and marquise cut diamonds because they are less common, but they are still excellent choices for people who value distinctive and attractive diamond forms.

Shape Vs. Price Chart

Check out this price comparison of 1 carat diamonds in every shape. We’ll give you the price differences between lab and earth created diamonds, all of a VS1 clarity and G color grade.

Diamond ShapeLab Created Diamond Prices Earth Created Diamond Prices
Round$1,400$5,690
Oval$1,680$4,320
Princess$1,540$4,240
Cushion$1,590$3,100
Pear$1,780$4,840
Emerald$1,310$3,570
Radiant$1,490$3,400
Asscher$1,300$3,770
Marquise$1,780$5,520

What Is The Most Expensive Diamond Shape?

Round diamonds are the most popular, and most costly diamond shape for a reason. They’re roughly about 65% more expensive than the least expensive diamond shapes. Here are some pros of choosing a round cut diamond:

  • Brilliance: Round diamonds are the most sparkling of all diamond forms, thanks to their extraordinary brilliance.
  • Versatility: Round diamonds are a timeless classic choice that goes with both old and modern settings.
  • Rarity: Owing to their scarcity, round diamonds are frequently regarded as luxury goods with a solid long-term worth.
  • Cut quality: The unique cut grading system used for round diamonds offers high accuracy and consistency in cut quality.
  • Best light performance: Round diamonds are cut to reflect the lightest possible, giving them an exquisite and brilliant appearance.
  • Round diamonds are more tolerant of defects and inclusions because of their symmetrical design, making them appear more flawless to the naked eye.

Overall, people looking for a traditional, adaptable, premium diamond with superb brilliance and sparkle should consider round cut diamonds.

What Is the Cheapest Diamond Shape?

The pear or marquise cut is often the least expensive diamond form. Because they are less common than round, princess, and cushion cuts, these diamond shapes are less expensive. It’s crucial to remember that a diamond’s price is also influenced by carat weight, color, clarity, and cut quality.

As a result, even though pear and marquise cut diamonds may be less expensive, the cost can still change depending on these additional aspects. They might, however, be a fantastic choice for individuals on a tight budget who yet desire a distinctive and attractive diamond form.

A Closer Look At Each Diamond Shape

Round diamonds are the most popular and sought-after diamond shape, and for good reason! These diamonds are the most expensive due to their brilliance, cut, and demand. Round diamonds require more rough diamond to be cut, and they also have the highest wastage during the cutting process, making them more expensive to produce.

Princess cut diamonds share a similar fire and brilliance to round diamonds. They are a modern and trendy choice, but cheaper than round cuts. These diamonds have a unique faceting pattern that makes them appear larger than they are, which adds to their value.

Cushion cut diamonds are a classic choice and have a vintage feel, especially when paired in a halo ring setting. Not only is their appearance similar to princess cut diamonds, but they’re not too far behind in price. Cushion cut diamonds have larger facets that create a distinctive, soft glow, which increases their value.

Emerald cut diamonds are always in style and rocked by some of your favorite celebrities. They have fewer facets, which means they show more clarity, but can potentially show more flaws. Their price is lower than that of round, and princess cut diamonds but higher than that of cushion cut diamonds.

Oval cut diamonds have become most popular in recent years due to their elongated shape, which makes the fingers appear longer and slimmer. Their price is similar to that of emerald cut diamonds, which are also part of the elongated diamond family.

Pear shaped diamonds are dimensional and elegant. They combine a round and marquise shape, making them a popular fancy shaped diamond choice for engagement ring shoppers. Their price is lower than that of oval cut diamonds.

Marquise cut diamonds have a bold, pointed shape that elongates the finger. They are becoming more popular as a modern-day diamond choice, and their price is similar to that of pear shaped diamonds.

To Sum It Up

The shape of a diamond affects its price significantly. As a general rule, remember that round diamonds are usually more expensive than other fancy shaped diamonds. Each diamond shape has its own pros and cons, so it’s important that you take the time to shop for a diamond shape you love with the exact qualities you or your partner will appreciate.

Have questions about picking the right diamond for your engagement ring or other fine jewelry pieces? Contact one of our experts at JamesAllen.com anytime, and we’ll be happy to offer you expert advice or a free diamond consultation.

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Jessica Thomas

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Jessica is a seasoned content writer with four years of experience and a qualified gemologist. She enjoys educating new shoppers on the best practices for buying jewelry.

How Does Diamond Shape Affect Its Price? (2024)

FAQs

How Does Diamond Shape Affect Its Price? ›

Shapes with the most rough carat wastage tend to be the most expensive. The round cut

cut
A gemstone desired to be used in jewelry is cut depending on the size and shape of the rough stone, as well as the desired piece of jewelry to be made. As a general rule, a cut gemstone will reduce the mass (in carats) by about 50%.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Cut_(gems)
is the most expensive shape because it has the maximum wastage from the rough stone.

What shape diamond holds the best value? ›

Popularity On The Market

For example, because round diamonds are the most popular and desired diamond shape, a round diamond will fetch a higher price on the secondhand market than, say, a marquise diamond with the exact same attributes. The more popular the diamond shape, the more those diamonds will fetch.

Which diamond shape is most expensive? ›

The most expensive diamond shape is by far, the round brilliant cut diamond. This cut has 58 facets to reflect the maximum amount of light, making it the most sparkly and brilliant of all the diamond cuts. The round cut diamond requires a lot of skill and precision to cut correctly, which adds to its high cost.

What affects diamond prices the most? ›

The main factors that determine the price of diamonds are quality, size, demand and certification. First of all, quality is a major factor in the price of diamonds. Quality is measured based on four criteria: color, clarity, cut quality and carat weight.

Why are round cut diamonds more expensive? ›

The primary reason for round being the most expensive diamond shape is that a large amount of the rough stone is lost during the cutting and polishing process. To achieve the fire and brilliance characteristic of the round shape, more of the original is lost than when cutting a fancy shape.

What is the rarest cut of a diamond? ›

It can be said that the diamond cut, Royal Asscher Cut, is a true rare diamond. Not just any diamond store can make this diamond cut as there are less than 75 people on Earth that are able to cut this type of diamond perfectly.

What is the least popular diamond shape? ›

The three least known diamond shapes
  • Ashley Bean. Pear.
  • Emerald.
  • Gray Box Studios. Emerald Halo Ring.
Mar 10, 2021

Which diamond shape is timeless? ›

Always Timeless: Round Brilliant

The round brilliant is the most popular diamond and a great choice for the woman who appreciates classic style. A round brilliant cut diamond maximizes the amount of reflected light, giving it incredible sparkle, especially when compared with other cuts.

What is the classiest diamond cut? ›

1. ROUND BRILLIANT DIAMOND. By far the most popular cut is the Round Brilliant, with it's fifty-seven perfectly aligned facets it's brilliance really does out-shine the others. Total internal reflection is the key here; light travels through the stone giving optimum sparkle and scintillation.

What cut is Meghan Markle's engagement ring? ›

Meghan Markle's Engagement Ring Design

The center stone is a cushion cut diamond weighing around 3 carats. It was sourced from Botswana, a country where the couple spent significant time building their relationship.

What makes a diamond less valuable? ›

Blemishes and scratches are found on the surface of the diamond, and these are something that lowers value. Inclusions refer to the inside of the diamond. The higher clarity that a diamond has (so the fewer inclusions), the higher value the diamond will have.

What increases the value of a diamond? ›

What Diamonds Appreciate In Value? Truly rare diamonds. Certain rare fancy colored diamonds such as red, blues or pinks of exceptional quality and/or carat weight can increase in value. The same applies to exceptionally rare, high-quality, large white diamonds with perfect color, cut and clarity grades.

Why do diamonds lose value? ›

Just like the prices of silver, gold and platinum, the market for diamonds rises and falls in value based on demand for the gemstones as an actual commodity. When fresh diamond mines are discovered, the diamond prices naturally decrease as supplies become larger.

Why not buy a round cut diamond? ›

Round Diamonds are Smaller than Other Shapes

Sure, a well-cut round diamond's massive sparkle can actually make it look larger than lower cut grade rounds (which is why cut grade is so important when purchasing a round diamond ring). But other shapes can give you much more finger coverage for a lot less money.

What diamond shape is the cheapest? ›

Ranking number one as the most affordable diamond shape, cushion-cut diamonds are a great choice for an elegant yet price-conscious purchase. Price-savvy brides adore cushion cut diamonds and this elegant shape has been experiencing a serious revival in popularity over the last few years.

Why are marquise diamonds not popular? ›

But since marquise diamonds appear larger, there's more surface area for inclusions to be seen. Similar to the pear cut diamond, marquise cut diamonds are more susceptible to damage around their points. Larger inclusions in these areas should be avoided for the integrity of the diamond.

Which type of diamond is best for investment? ›

Most notably, the Emerald cut showcases size better than other diamonds of the same carat. The Round brilliant cut is popular for many reasons. It provides exceptional brilliance and a classic, ageless look. It is the most requested cut, and impresses investors universally.

Which diamond is best for resale value? ›

The resale value of all Diamonds is calculated by a mixture of ranking the quality via the four C's (cut, clarity, carat and colour) and also, the public and market demand for Diamonds. Therefore, the resale value of any Diamond – mined or lab-grown – is contingent on its condition and the public desire.

What size diamond is best value for money? ›

If the stone is destined for jewelry, you will typically get more bang for your back buying a diamond just below the 1.00ct threshold. Visually, the slight difference in carat weight is meaningless; a 0.99 ct stone looks the same size as a 1.00ct.

Which cut of diamond is the least expensive? ›

Ranking number one as the most affordable diamond shape, cushion-cut diamonds are a great choice for an elegant yet price-conscious purchase. Price-savvy brides adore cushion cut diamonds and this elegant shape has been experiencing a serious revival in popularity over the last few years.

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