A diamond's price is commonly defined by its 4C's:

• Carat
• Clarity
• Color
• And Cut

... But the 4C's are not the only factors defining the price! The shape a diamond is cut into also has a major impact.

Diamonds do not come out of the ground cut and brilliant! When extracted from the earth, rough diamonds actually look like nothing else but glass pebbles! The diamond cutter will decide which shape to give the diamond, in order to get rid of the maximum of inclusions and maximize its beauty.

Depending on the specific shape, between 20 to 60% of the rough stone´s original carat weight is lost during cutting. The more diamond material is “lost” during the cutting process, the most expensive will the “saved” diamond material be.

The most expensive diamond cut is the round brilliant.

For such diamonds, only 40% of the rough stone is “saved” after the cutting process, meaning that roughly 60% of the original diamond is “lost” and cannot be reused elsewhere. This impressive loss explains why round diamonds are the most expensive shape.

Round is also the most popular shape - and as for anything else - the higher the demand, the higher the price.

VIEW: Engagement ring with a round brilliant cut diamond

• Fancy-shaped diamonds (i.e. pear, oval, princess, and radiant) can save you up to 25% more than a round brilliant diamond of the same size.

That is because, for such shapes, less of the rough diamond is lost during the cutting process. For example, for princess cut diamonds, 80% of the stone is “saved”, which makes this diamond shape way more affordable than its round counterpart.

• Emerald cut diamonds can be the cheapest shape!

Emerald cut diamonds can save you even more money than the aforementioned fancy shapes because they have step cuts (or facets, that look a bit like a staircase).

Their simpler design means they need less precision work to be achieved. They also use more of the rough diamond, all of which results in cost savings.

Note: the faceting being so minimal and simple, inclusions tend to show more with this cut than with any other and a lower color grade will be badly hidden by this type of cut. So if you decide to go for an emerald cut diamond, make sure to stay with a very high-quality diamond (which in turn makes it more expensive…)

At My Diamond Ring, you can design your own engagement ring in 18k rose, white, or yellow gold and choose a diamond of any shape and quality to create a truly personalised piece. Receive 3 carefully selected diamond suggestions for your ring or explore our selection of over 5,000 natural and lab-grown diamonds in various sizes, colours and price ranges, making it easy to find the perfect diamond to suit your style and budget. All of our diamonds are certified by GIA or IGI, with options starting at just €300.

LEARN MORE: Choose your own diamond ring in 4 easy steps

LEARN MORE: All the tutorials you need to find your perfect diamond