What is the difference between a diamond and a brilliant? - BAUNAT (2024)

  • What are brilliant jewels and what does the term ‘brilliant’ mean?
  • How does it influence the quality of my diamond?
  • Why should I buy a brilliant and not another diamond cut?

‘Brilliant’ and ‘diamond’ are often used interchangeably. They are, however, not synonyms. ‘Diamond’ is the name of the precious stone itself, whereas ‘brilliant’ denotes the cut of a diamond. But why are they so often confused? And why should I buy a brilliant instead of another diamond cut?

Find your ideal brilliant ring nowin our extensive collection.

What does the term ‘brilliant’ mean?

The term ‘brilliant’ is in fact an abbreviation of ‘brilliant cut’; a method of cutting a diamond that optimizes its appearance as well as the way it reflects light. ‘Cut’ can refer both to the shape and the cut quality of a diamond. The latter is one of the 4 C’s, designed to describe the quality of diamonds. A well cut diamond has a higher reflection. A brilliant cut diamond, with the ideal number of 57 facets, therefore has a more intense brilliance and a higher appeal.

Of all diamond shapes, the brilliant cut shines the brightest. This is why this diamond shape is highly sought after for engagement rings, a classic white gold ring with a brilliant or delicate brilliant earrings.

What is the difference between a diamond and a brilliant? - BAUNAT (1)

View this 2.00 ct. brilliant ring here or by clicking on the image.

How does it influence the quality of my diamond?

The cut quality of a diamond refers to its proportions, its symmetry and its polish and is therefore one of the most important characteristics of a diamond. If its depth is too deep or too shallow, the light that enters the diamond through its crown will escape instead of being reflected.

Diamond shapes other than the standard round cut are called ‘fancy shapes’. The most well-known shapes are the marquise, the pear, the oval, the heart and the emerald.

What is the difference between a diamond and a brilliant? - BAUNAT (2)

View an even more exclusive ring with pink pear shaped diamond here or by clicking on the image.

Why should I buy a brilliant and not another diamond cut?

If a brilliant has the most beautiful luster, why would I buy any other diamond shape? Every diamond cut has its own unique characteristics. A marquise cut, for example, is one of 6 ways to make your diamond appear larger. After all, larger diamonds come with a higher price tag. Others opt for a fancy cut instead of the classic brilliant because it adds a more original and personal touch to their ring.

Brilliant can now come out in a more original way than it used to be by e.g. an uncommon setting. The wedding ring with a brilliant is up and coming, while the classic choice would be a smooth wedding ring.

How can I combine different diamond cuts in one jewel? Where can I have my jewel custom-made? Contact the diamond experts from BAUNAT for all diamond or jewellery related questions you might have.

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What is the difference between a diamond and a brilliant? - BAUNAT (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a diamond and a brilliant? - BAUNAT? ›

A well cut diamond

cut diamond
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.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Diamond_cut
has a higher reflection. A brilliant cut diamond, with the ideal number of 57 facets, therefore has a more intense brilliance and a higher appeal. Of all diamond shapes, the brilliant cut shines the brightest.

What's the difference between a diamond and a brilliant? ›

In many, even just out of curiosity, they ask us the difference between a brilliant and a diamond. The answer is really simple! The diamond is the raw material, while the brilliant is the type of cut. There are several types of diamond cut, but the most common is the brilliant (or round) cut.

What does it mean when a diamond is a brilliant stone? ›

A brilliant is a diamond or other gemstone cut in a particular form with numerous facets so as to have exceptional brilliance. The shape resembles that of a cone and provides maximized light return through the top of the diamond.

What is the difference between diamond and Diamante? ›

Diamante (a Filipino word pronounced JA-man-tay) is the uncut outer crust of a diamond and is different from diamanté, which refers to decoration with artificial jewels. Its appearance is semi-translucent and rough in comparison to the sharp, bright cuts of typical commercial diamonds.

What does it mean if a diamond is brilliant? ›

Diamond Brilliance refers to how much white light is reflected within a diamond. The white light reflected from within the diamond, the more brilliant it will appear to be. It can also be referred to as the quality of sparkle, light, and fire that makes diamonds shine with brightness.

What's the difference between Brilliant Diamond and diamond? ›

As in the original Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl you'll find that the main point of difference between the versions is their version-exclusive pokémon, with one version having wild pokémon the other doesn't and vice versa.

Is moissanite as good as diamond? ›

Gemstones are measured on the Mohs scale, which addresses a gem's hardness. Moissanites are at 9.25 on the Mohs scale, making them suitable for everyday wear. Diamonds, the hardest known naturally occurring mineral, are a 10 on the Mohs scale, making them the ideal option for engagement rings.

Which diamond is best to wear? ›

For diamonds over 2 carats, a clarity grade of VS2 or higher is the safest bet for avoiding any signs of visible inclusions. In diamonds between 1 and 2 carats, clarity grades of SI1 or better will not have inclusions easily visible to the naked eye.

Which moissanite cut is closest to a diamond? ›

While each of the cuts has its own unique qualities, the round cut moissanite is the closest in appearance to a diamond. This is because the round cut is popular and the most commonly used cut for diamonds, meaning that the resemblance of a round-cut moissanite to a diamond is higher than other cuts.

Which diamond cut is more 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.

Is brilliant more expensive than diamond? ›

The Takeaway. Round brilliant-cut diamonds are the most expensive because of the raw material lost and the intricacy of the cutting process. Most fancy shape diamonds are unable to match the fire, scintillation, and brilliance of a round shape diamond.

Is a brilliant diamond a real diamond? ›

A brilliant is a diamond or other gemstone cut in a particular form with 57-58 facets so as to have exceptional brilliance.

What is the most brilliant fake diamond? ›

Moissanite: Currently, the most sought-after fake diamond stone name in the industry is the moissanite. Moissanite has developed a reputation for being the best alternative to natural diamonds since they can rival them in brilliance.

Is Brilliant Diamond as good as the original? ›

If a good remake is defined by its loyalty to the original, then Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are very good remakes indeed. They are Diamond and Pearl down to nearly every detail, looking nicer than ever before with a few small tweaks, most of which are pretty good ones.

Is a Brilliant Diamond a real diamond? ›

A brilliant is a diamond or other gemstone cut in a particular form with 57-58 facets so as to have exceptional brilliance.

What is more brilliant than a diamond? ›

Moissanite is actually more brilliant than a diamond!

Moissanite's brilliance is higher than diamond's due to its higher “refractive index” (Diamond's is 2.42, whereas Moissanite's is 2.65). This is a technical term for how much a gemstone bends light.

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