Which Diamond Cut Sparkles The Most? | Whiteflash (2025)

By Tiffany Moore

It’s a question that precedes any important diamond purchase. Which diamond has the best sparkle? Understanding why diamonds sparkle, the factors that make them brilliant, and ultimately, which cut is the best for an unforgettable light show will help you to choose the most show-stopping diamond.

We’ve all seen diamonds sparkle – it’s the moment when a diamond’s multiple surfaces (known as facets) interact with light, coming directly from the source or with light bouncing off objects in the environment to create that unique feeling of awe.

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The diamond’s ability to bounce light is formally categorized as diamond brilliance in the case of white light or diamond fire when concerning colored light. Both brilliance and fire are primarily determined by a diamond’s cut. In this blog, we’ll rank different diamond cuts depending on their ability to reflect and refract light to give that all-important sparkle.

So, whether you’re debating size vs sparkle to weigh up what’s most important in your purchase, you’re keen to know which cut to select for maximum shine, or simply want to learn more about this fascinating stone, read on.

Which Diamond Settings Sparkles Most? Why Round Diamonds Are A CUT ABOVE® The Rest

Put simply, round cut diamonds are the clear winner if you’re simply looking for the most sparkle. With the perfect symmetry of the facet design, and a balanced mix of small and large facets, a precision cut round brilliant returns more light to the eye than any other cut. And it refracts that light into a fiery, scintillating light shown.

Round cut diamonds, typically featuring 57 or 58 facets, are capable of exhibiting the ultimate in brilliance and fire. When properly proportioned and the facets aligned with three dimensional precision no other diamond cut can compete with its light performance. With proven 3D symmetry and impeccable craftsmanship A CUT ABOVE super

ideal diamonds are some of the most beautiful diamonds ever brought to market.

Shape Over Sparkle - Diamond Cuts With The Least Sparkle

Although no other diamond shape can quite compete with round cut diamonds, other cuts aren’t all created equal.

Princess Cut Diamonds

Some – like princess cut diamonds – are better than others in terms of their optics. Princess cut diamonds are symmetrical and geometric with four equal or almost equal sides. The brilliant style faceting of their pavilions help them to attract light in the much the same way the round cut interacts with the environment. The cut quality and craftsmanship is critical to producing an ideal princess cut.

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Oval, Pear and, Marquise Cut Diamonds

Oval, pear, and marquise diamonds all still offer an astonishing appearance of sparkle.. All feature brilliant style faceting on the pavilion to create scintillation. These elongated shapes can be very alluring and attractive, even if not at the same level of light performance as a well cut round brilliant. With these diamond cuts, you have to pay attention to the length-to-width ratio. If that ratio is too large the diamond looks skinny, too small and the diamond looks chubby. Sleek and elegant is the goal with these shapes. A well cut round brilliant, with its perfect symmetry has fewer variables which enables a more complete return of light to the eye.

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Other Diamond Cuts With Lesser Sparkle

Cushion cuts and radiant cuts tend to produce a “crushed ice” appearance with a lower intensity and more subtle sparkle. While not as brilliant as the other cuts we have mentioned, they have a unique appeal that many find very alluring.

Of all the diamond cuts, the baguette has the least amount of sparkle. Though its long rectangular shape and step cut facets give it an unusual and alluring appearance, it has far fewer facets than other cuts (an average of 14). Baguettes are normally used as accent stones so the center stone supplies the pop. Read Our for more information.

Identifying Sparkle Factor - How To Determine Diamond Quality

By now, it's clear that round cut diamonds are the favorite for light performance fanatics. Their simplicity, sophistication, and sparkle make for timeless engagement rings and wedding bands. But while a round cut’s many facets and perfect symmetry play a large part in its potential to light up a room, there are other factors to consider when choosing the right diamond.

Diamond Clarity

Clarity characteristics of a diamond can also impact the sparkle. In the upper clarity grades such as VS and above this is rarely a problem. But in the lower grades, particularly SI1 and below, certain inclusions can block or scatter light leaving the diamond looking somewhat dull. For more information on this please see our article on cloudy diamonds.

This is where it is very important to review the seller's reputation and make sure they have the expertise and trust factor to protect you from serious issues that may not be obvious to the untrained eye or even from the lab report.

Which Diamond Cut Sparkles The Most? | Whiteflash (4)

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Light Performance & Craftsmanship

If you can, review a diamond’s light performance in person or ensure a seller can supply light performance imaging and/or HD video. We provide diamond imaging and light performance images on all in house diamonds.

The more understanding you can gain over brilliance and craftsmanship, the better you’ll be able to determine how the cut reacts to different lighting environments. Some diamonds have more luster than others and the human eye is great at determining which perform better than others.

Diamond Fluorescence

Another factor to consider which can sometimes affect a diamond’s sparkle and scintillation is fluorescence. A significant number of diamonds glow (usually blue) when exposed to strong UV light sources such as direct sunlight. In some cases this can cause a diamond to look slightly milky in those lighting environments. New studies by GIA show that strong and very strong fluorescence causes a reduction in contrast which may account for this phenomenon. Fluorescence can also react with certain clarity characteristics such as twinning and graining to cause a loss of brilliance. Fluorescence levels of medium, faint, or negligible have no discernible effect on appearance.

Diamond Setting

Choosing a setting to complement your diamond is an important part of the overall process. Designers such as Tacori, Verragio, Simon G, and A. Jaffe provide a full spectrum of styles all crafted with impeccable workmanship.

Designer settings are steeped in artistry and often feature signature styles that make them iconic and unique to their creator.

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Stunning Sparkle Every Time, With Whiteflash Diamonds

As specialists in Ideal round and princess cut diamonds, we’re no strangers to sparkle. We offer precision-cut loose diamonds that exceed industry standards and have a variety of valuable added benefits for our customers. From free worldwide shipping of diamonds instantly available in our inventory to our ever-popular 100% Lifetime Trade-Up Benefit, we believe you shouldn’t have to compromise when buying diamonds.

For your important purchase get the perfect cut, setting, and comprehensive benefit and assurance package from a trusted and socially responsible specialist.

Which Diamond Cut Sparkles The Most? | Whiteflash (2025)

FAQs

Which Diamond Cut Sparkles The Most? | Whiteflash? ›

Answer: The round brilliant cut.

What cut of diamond gives the most sparkle? ›

Round Brilliant Cut

The round cut is the most brilliant or the most sparkling diamond cut. Fifty-eight facets (including the culet) are cut into brilliant round diamonds to allow light to pass through and reflect off each facet.

What is the most beautiful 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 diamond holds its value the best? ›

They are classic with timeless quality, which means round cut brilliant diamonds also tend to retain and appreciate the most in value. We sell more round cut diamonds than any other shape. That means the pricing needs to be comparable because these are regularly in high demand.

Do bigger diamonds sparkle more? ›

It's Not All About Size

It's a common misconception that the larger a diamond is, the more it will sparkle. Although the bigger stone might have space for more facets, two diamonds cut the same will sparkle the same, regardless of carat size.

How to get the sparkliest diamond? ›

Pay attention to cutting style.

The more facets a diamond has, the more reflective surfaces there are to bounce and scatter light. A round brilliant cut diamond with its 57 or 58 facets will appear to have more sparkle than a single-cut diamond with only 17 or 18 facets.

What cut makes a diamond look biggest? ›

Best Diamond Shapes for a Big Look

The ones that carry mass at the top are marquise, pear, and oval cut diamonds. These diamond cuts are known as elongated shapes, and these elongated shapes actively contribute to the illusion of size.

Which diamond cut 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 cheapest cut of diamonds? ›

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.

What is the rarest cut of a diamond? ›

The Royal Asscher cut is an updated version of the Asscher cut (an octagonal design with 58 layered facets). However, the Royal Asscher cut has 74 facets and a higher crown, and has exceptionally high clarity. It's said that the number of jewelers who can craft a Royal Asscher cut is less than 100 worldwide.

Why does my diamond ring not sparkle? ›

Clean your ring regularly.

The best way to make sure your diamond is nice and shiny is to clean it at least once a week with a mixture of water and mild dish soap. First, leave the ring to soak in the solution and then use a soft toothbrush to get into the crevices.

Which diamond shape is the most shiny? ›

Which Diamond Cut Has The Most Sparkle?
  • Sparkle is a result of many factors such as diamond cut, the shape of diamonds, color, etc. ...
  • The quality of diamond sparkle depends on the diamond cut. ...
  • Round brilliant cut diamonds have the most sparkle among all shapes of diamonds.

What is the most important cut color or clarity? ›

Cut is the most important determinant of the overall appearance of a diamond. No Clarity grade can help a poorly cut diamond; however, an excellent cut diamond can have a lower color (G-H) or clarity (SI1-SI2) and still look quite beautiful due to its superior ability to create sparkle and brilliance.

Which property of diamond makes it sparkle? ›

The refractive index of diamonds is extremely high which is responsible for the sparkling of diamonds.

Which stone sparkles the most? ›

the speed of light in the gemstone. All minerals are measured on a scale and range from 1.2 to approximately 3. With a brilliance refractive index of 2.65 to 2.69, moissanite is the world's most brilliant gemstone.

What cut diamond shines brilliantly due to? ›

The correct answer is total internal reflection. Total internal reflection is a complete reflection of a ray of light within a medium such as water or glass from the surrounding surfaces back into the medium.

What is the most sought after diamond shape? ›

Round brilliant cut diamonds are easily the most expensive diamond shape. In part, that's because round is the most popular diamond shape. More than half of all the diamonds sold today are round diamonds. This incredible popularity means that diamond miners and retailers can charge more for such an in-demand shape.

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