Diamond

Included: Soho Gem does not carry diamonds of I-grade clarity. 

ROUND BRILLIANT

This classic diamond shape is by far the most popular diamond shape today. There are 58 total facets in a round brilliant, usually with 33 on the crown, 24 on the pavilion, and 1 on the culet. The fire and brilliance of a well-cut round brilliant diamond is unmatched.

PRINCESS

This shape is typically square, but can also be slightly rectangular. The 4-prong mount that a princess cut diamond is set in should protect the corners from chipping. A princess cut can look smaller than other shapes for its weight because comparatively speaking it is "bottom-heavy".

PEAR

The pear shape is known as a hybrid cut, sharing characteristics of both the oval and the marquise. Its shape resembles a teardrop, and can make beautiful dangle earrings or pendants, but is also used as a center stone. Beware of dark areas, in the shape of a bowtie which can occur from poor cutting proportions.

MARQUISE

A marquise cut diamond can be described as having the shape of a football, and it can make average length fingers look long and slender. This diamond shape can appear relatively large for its carat weight. Marquise cut diamonds are usually good in color, as a poorer color will show near the points of the stone. The name comes from the smile of the French Marquise de Pompadour.

OVAL

Oval diamonds can have a brilliance similar to that of the round brilliant. They're in high demand, so usually expensive for their carat weight. They can also lengthen the appearance of a woman's fingers, but are susceptible to dark, bowtie shaped areas when poorly cut.

EMERALD

The emerald cut was originally developed for just that - emeralds. They resemble a rectangle with angled or beveled corners. They are "step cut", because their facets look like steps. Because the facets are large and few, inclusions are more easily seen. For this reason, better clarity stones are typically used for an emerald cut. They have far less fire and brilliance than other cuts, but they create bright flashes of light rather than smaller, sparkly reflections

RADIANT

The radiant cut resembles the emerald cut from above, but the pavilion has a facet pattern that maximizes the stone's brilliance. This is a deeper cut than others, especially for shapes that are more rectangular than square. The angled corners help protect it against chipping. The radiant cut is very popular in 3 stone rings, and it's often seen in fancy-colored diamonds as well. Beware of "bowties".

HEART

The proportions used in the cutting of heart shaped stones are up to the tastes of the cutter, so the heart may be skinny or fat. This style is often used for solitaire necklaces, and for obvious reasons, it's a very popular shape around Valentine's Day. A heart shaped diamond is similar to the pear shaped diamond, but it has a cleft at the top. Sometimes cutters use stones that would otherwise be cut to a different shape, but an inclusion is removed where the cleft is. Heart shaped diamonds can have excellent brilliance if well cut

TRILLION/TRILLIANT

Trilliant is a term that combines "triangular" and "brilliant". It's also called a "trillion". They are generally triangular in shape, but a trilliant diamond can have slightly rounded corners rather than sharp points. They usually have 50 facets, and can appear larger than a round diamond of the same carat weight. Trillions are often used as side stones, but can be center stones also.

CUSHION

The cushion cut is an antique style of cutting which resembles a pillow shape. It can be elongated, appearing rectangular or oval and also can be more square. The facets tend to be larger to increase their brilliance. The cushion is a romantic cut blending old world charm with modern elegance.

ASSCHER

This beautiful unique shape is nearly identical to the emerald-cut, except that it is square. This shape has a pavilion that is cut with rectangular facets in the same style as the emerald-cut and also has cut corners. The Asscher cut was developed in 1902 by the Asscher Brothers of Holland. GIA does not recognize Asscher as a cut and therefore certifies it as a square emerald cut. 

BAGUETTE

The baguette is a long, narrow rectangle shape that became popular around the Art Deco period. The shape can also be tapered. Like the emerald cut, the baguette is a "step cut" diamond, but it does not have angled or beveled facets on the corners. There are usually only 2 rows of facets, and the view of the interior of the stone is very clear so inclusions are more easily seen than in other shapes.