Diamond Cuts
Overview of Diamond Cut Categories: Brilliant, Step, Hybrid, and Antique
Last Updated: March 18, 2025Diamonds come in various cuts, each designed to optimize light reflection, brilliance, and aesthetic appeal. The four primary categories of diamond cuts are Brilliant, Step, Hybrid, and Antique, each with unique optical properties and historical significance. This primer provides an overview of these cuts before diving into more detailed explanations (see bottom of the page). Important note! GIA and
Brilliant Cut Diamonds
Last Updated: April 24, 2025The brilliant cut isn’t just the most popular diamond style – it’s the result of centuries of mathematical refinement, all in service of one goal: maximum sparkle. Designed to enhance brilliance, fire, and scintillation, the round brilliant cut has become the gold standard in modern diamond cutting. This guide breaks down what makes brilliant-cut diamonds
Round Brilliant Cut
Last Updated: March 18, 2025Gabrielle’s Ideals for Round Brilliant Diamonds (Table: 54–60% (56–58%), Depth: 59–62.5% (60-61%), Pavilion Depth: 42–45% (43%), Pavilion Angle: 40–41.2° (40.2°–41.25°), Crown Angle: 34–35° (33.7°–35.8°), Crown Height: 12–15%, Girdle: 2.5–4.5%) The round brilliant cut is the most meticulously engineered diamond shape, designed to optimize light return for maximum brilliance, fire, and scintillation. With 58 facets (or
Oval Cut
Last Updated: March 18, 2025Gabrielle’s Ideals for Oval Diamonds (Table: 56–62% (59–61), Depth: 58–66% (62-66%), Pavilion Depth: 41–45% (43%), Pavilion Angle: 40–41° (40.2°–41.25°), Crown Angle: 33–37° (33.7°–35.8°), Crown Height: 12.5–15%, Girdle: 2.5–4.5%) The oval cut diamond is a brilliant-cut shape that offers the sparkle of a round brilliant but in an elongated silhouette. Designed to maximize brilliance while
Pear Cut
Last Updated: March 18, 2025Gabrielle’s Ideals for Pear Cut Diamonds (Table: 56.5–63% (59–62%), Depth: 58–64% (61–64%), Pavilion Depth: 41–45.5%, Pavilion Angle: 40–41.5° (40.2°–41.25°), Crown Angle: 32–36° (33.7°–35.8°), Crown Height: 12–15%, Girdle: 2.5–4.5%) The pear cut diamond combines the rounded brilliance of a round diamond with the elongated elegance of a marquise, creating a softly tapered silhouette that exudes vintage
Marquise Cut
Last Updated: March 18, 2025Gabrielle’s Ideals for Marquise Diamonds (Table: 57–63% (59–62%), Depth: 58–63% (59–62%), Pavilion Depth: 41–44% (43%), Pavilion Angle: 40–41° (40.2°–41.25°), Crown Angle: 32–38° (33.7°–35.8°), Crown Height: 12–15%, Girdle: 2.5–4.5%) The marquise cut diamond is a distinctive and highly elongated brilliant cut, recognized for its dramatic, tapered points and graceful curvature. Known for its rich history and
Princess Cut (Square Modified Brilliant)
Last Updated: March 18, 2025Gabrielle’s Ideals for Princess Diamonds (Table: 65–74% (68–72; table lower than depth), Depth: 68–74% (69–73), Pavilion Depth: 54–62%, Pavilion Angle: 40–41° (40.2°–41.25°), Crown Angle: 34–35° (33.7°–35.8°), Crown Height: 10–14%, Girdle: 2.5–4.5%) The princess cut diamond is the most popular square-shaped diamond, known for its sharp angles, intense brilliance, and modern appeal. As a modified brilliant
Heart Cut
Last Updated: March 11, 2025Gabrielle’s Ideals for Heart Cut Diamonds (Table: 59–64% | Depth: 52–60% | Pavilion Depth: 47–55% | Pavilion Angle: 39–41° (40.2°–41.25°) | Crown Angle: 32–37° (33.7°–35.8°) | Crown Height: 12–14% | Girdle: 2.5–4.5%) The heart-shaped diamond is the ultimate symbol of love and romance. As a modified brilliant cut, it combines the brilliance of a round
Step Cut Diamonds
Last Updated: March 18, 2025Step-cut diamonds are known for their elegant, sophisticated appearance, focusing on clarity and a unique play of light rather than intense sparkle. Unlike brilliant cuts, which use triangular and kite-shaped facets to maximize brilliance, step cuts feature long, parallel, and rectangular facets that create a mesmerizing “hall of mirrors” effect. If brilliant-cut diamonds are like
Emerald Cut
Last Updated: March 18, 2025Gabrielle’s Ideals for Emerald Diamonds (Table: 61–68% (64–65%), Depth: 60–69% (67–68.4%), Pavilion Depth: 47–53 (49–51%), Pavilion Angle: 40.5–43° (40.6°–42.5°), Crown Angle: 30–40° (35°–36.6°), Crown Height: 12–15%, Girdle: 2.5–4.5%) The emerald cut diamond is one of the most sophisticated and elegant diamond shapes, known for its distinctive step-cut faceting and elongated form. Unlike brilliant cuts, which