Oval vs. Round Diamonds: The Definitive Comparison (2024)
The sparkle of a diamond is that unmistakable flash of fire, brilliance, and scintillation emanating from the stone with every movement. The round cut diamond has the most sparkle of any diamond shape or cut due to its faceting structure and concentrated shape.
Round and oval diamonds both fall into the category of brilliant cut diamonds. Brilliant cut diamonds are so called because they are cut in such a way as to maximize the diamond’s brilliance. With 58 facets, round diamonds deliver fantastic white light reflection. Oval diamonds are typically cut with 57-58 facets, so have the potential to deliver just as much sparkle as a round diamond.
To caption this concept of brilliance, diamond laboratories such as the GIA have come up with a grading scale to rate the brilliance of a diamond. The cut of a diamond is graded on a scale of Excellent to Poor, and this is done with a strict formula that incorporates the various measurements of a diamond (table & depth percentage, crown & pavilion angles). In other words, there is theoretically a range of proportions that provide for excellent light return. In addition to excellent symmetry, an ideally proportioned diamond should not be cut too flat nor too deep; somewhere in the middle is the sweet spot. While this formula is not perfect, it does a pretty good job at separating out all the poorly cut diamonds, and is a good tool to have when shopping for a round diamond. Unfortunately this Cut grade is not given to oval shape diamonds, and there's a good reason for this omission.
In reality, it is very difficult to assign a ‘light return’ grade to an oval shape because every oval is so different. The long and skinny ovals must have a very different light-return profile than a short and round oval. Perhaps by incorporating the length to width ratio as a new factor to consider, the labs can begin to ascertain the light performance of a diamond based on its proportions. Until then, the ability to compare brilliance between oval shape diamonds based on measurements remains elusive, and the best way to determine cut is to compare multiple diamonds and choose the one that looks best to you.
Because of its elongated shape and weight distribution toward the top of the stone, ovals will appear larger than round diamonds of the same carat weight. This fact is backed up by the overall surface area of the diamond on display. Ovals come out about 10% bigger than round cut diamonds
cut diamonds
A diamond cut is a style or design guide used when shaping a diamond for polishing such as the brilliant cut. Cut refers to shape (pear, oval), and also the symmetry, proportioning and polish of a diamond. The cut of a diamond greatly affects a diamond's brilliance—a poorly-cut diamond is less luminous.
Round-cut diamonds are much better at hiding inclusions than oval-cut diamonds since they are very brilliant and sparkly. Oval-cut diamonds will still hide plenty of inclusions, just not as well as the round-cut. Another issue with oval-cut diamonds that round-cut diamonds don't present is the bow-tie effect.
Around 75% of the total diamonds sold are round-shaped diamonds. The popularity of this shape is always in trend because they have a perfect round shape with exceptional fire as well as brilliance. A round diamond has a timeless classic appeal that works well with any ring setting style.
The round cut diamond has the most sparkle of any diamond shape or cut due to its faceting structure and concentrated shape. Round and oval diamonds both fall into the category of brilliant cut diamonds. Brilliant cut diamonds are so called because they are cut in such a way as to maximize the diamond's brilliance.
Considering an oval cut diamond for your engagement ring? This shape is perfect for trendy East-West rings as well as more classic styles. However, these diamonds don't receive cut grades from gemological laboratories, so assessing their quality can be difficult.
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.
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.
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.
Before modern technology, diamond cutting was a slow process — so the less material a cutter removed from the original rough diamond, the better. Because of this, old mine-cut and euro-cut diamonds typically have larger facets that result in less sparkle than a diamond of today's standard.
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.
A diamond's sparkle is an unmistakable flash of brilliance, fire, and scintillation that erupts from the stone with every movement. Among all diamond shapes and cuts, the round cut has the most sparkle due to its faceting structure and concentrated shape, assuming it is well cut.
Their elongated shape creates the illusion of longer, slender fingers, making them a flattering choice for all hand sizes. It also amounts to more visual size. Plus, oval rings offer a unique twist for traditional solitaire or halo settings, perfect for couples who crave individuality.
If you're trying to decide between an oval or round diamond, you can rest assured that both will have excellent symmetry and beautifully rounded edges. Oval diamond rings are ideal for elongating fingers, and they tend to look bigger than round stones with the same carat weight.
Seventy-five percent of all diamonds sold are round brilliant cuts. Their popularity lies in their perfect circular shape and the exceptional fire and brilliance that the facets create. Round stones hold timeless appeal and stand out in all setting styles.
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.
Introduction: My name is Van Hayes, I am a thankful, friendly, smiling, calm, powerful, fine, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
