You have to consider a lot of things when buying an engagement ring with diamonds, including metal color, carat weight, setting, and shape of the gemstone. One characteristic of a diamond is the “cut”, which determines not just the shape of the stone but also plays a role in how it plays with light.
Oval
An oval-shaped diamond makes the wearer’s finger look larger than it is. Oval is basically a modified round brilliant shape, with brilliance similar to a round diamond. An oval cut diamond is a classic yet unique option for an engagement ring. It looks bigger than a round cut counterpart.
The disadvantage of it is that it has a bow-tie effect. Something that looks a bowtie can be spotted in the middle of the stone, and it is caused by the insufficient depth of it and uneven distribution of light. That said, you can minimize this black shadow effect by choosing a diamond with more depth. Bear in mind that you cannot know whether an oval diamond has this effect based on the GIA certification that comes with the product. It has to be looked at from all angles, without using a loupe for diamonds.
Emerald
An emerald-shaped diamond also looks larger than round brilliant counterparts and elongates the finger. This step-cut faceted diamond does not have the sparkle many people associate with the stone. Then again, this is neither an advantage nor a disadvantage; as with all diamond shapes, whether or not to choose an emerald cut is a matter of personal preference.
The downside to choosing an emerald cut diamond is that flaws in it can be seen relatively more easily than a round brilliant diamond. It is not easy to disguise an emerald-shaped diamond’s imperfections as it is to do it with a brilliant-cut counterpart. Furthermore, emerald cut diamonds which are not cut well can have the black area; a trained eye has to inspect whether it has this from various angles.
Round
If your fiancée is a traditional type, then choosing a round brilliant diamond for her engagement ring is the way to go. Round brilliant is the most popular diamond cut, and it offers the most sparkle of all shapes. In addition, since it has such an exceptional brilliance, it is possible to mask color and hide imperfections with this shape.
However, a round brilliant diamond is the priciest shape. Round being the most popular shape and most widely worn diamond, also means it is highly sought after. The increase in demand for it naturally makes a round diamond the higher-priced one.