The princess cut is a relatively new one and many people love the combination of traditional, round cut brilliance with clean, straight lines. The square stone makes a lovely solitaire, thanks to its defined appearance. As there is less wastage in the production princess cut diamonds can be better value than traditional round cut brilliants of the same weight and quality. This is certainly a beautiful ring, with the diamond set on a luxurious and durable platinum band and a claw setting designed to protect the stone as well as show it off.
See how different carat weight stones look on your hand in our blog on designing a ring.
The band size of our diamond solitaires can be adjusted slightly and we offer this service free of charge, please select the best ring size when you order.
Only 3 percent of the world's diamonds are now emerald cut, but the effect is both striking and beautiful, especially if you love a vintage look. Emerald cut diamonds were hugely popular in the 1930s, especially set in platinum, as the rectangular shape was perfect for the bold, new geometric patterns that came into vogue following the “Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes” in Paris in 1925 where 'Art Deco' took the world by storm.
Emerald cut diamonds have lower refraction than brilliant cut stones but they have better reflection and show off the colour and clarity of the stone more. The faceted edges to have some sparkle and the body of the stone will give beautiful flashes of light if it has been well cut. The emerald cut is flattering to the fingers, showing them off at their longest and slimmest.
The stone in an emerald cut ring looks larger than a brilliant cut stone of similar carat because the surface area is greater. Look carefully at your ring and make sure you like the height to width ratio, there are theories about what is optimum but nowadays the biggest guideline is really personal taste. The emerald cut is not graded officially when a stone is certified and so choose what you love. A slightly larger stone has even more wow factor.
Celebrities seem to love an Emerald cut stone, maybe because they look so lovely on.
Any brilliant cut stone has excellent sparkle and will make an impact, but in the 0.5 - 1.25 carat range the stone looks visibly larger on your hand, partly because a round brilliant cut stone is quite deep so the surface area of the cone shape is relatively small for the carat weight. A half carat round brilliant has a diameter of about 5.2mm, a one carat brilliant has a diameter of about 6.55mm and at 1.25 carats the diameter will be around 7mm.
A solitaire diamond of 1 carat will be much more expensive than a cluster ring with one carat of smaller diamonds in it but there is a satisfying completeness to having a whole unit which definitely appeals to most of us - most people like to stop the petrol gauge on a whole pound!
1 carat diamonds tend to have a greater value because of their popularity, therefore stones of just about a carat often represent great for money and a similar appearance.
Personal taste is a major factor in your choice: if you love the stacked look with a solitaire, an eternity ring and maybe an embellished wedding band than a smaller solitaire is going to look better. Similarly, what suits the shape and length of your hands and fingers plays a part.
Our blog 'Which Shape Engagement Ring Will Make You Sparkle?' Has lots of style advice.
The band size of our diamond solitaires can be adjusted slightly and we offer this service free of charge, please select the best ring size when you order.
Choosing between white gold, platinum and yellow gold for your engagement ring is almost harder thanthan choosing the stones and largely comes down to personal preference. Platinum is more durable than either white or yellow gold, but is a bit more expensive. White gold is a more affordable silver toned option but needs quite a lot of maintenance to keep the rhodium plating perfect. Yellow gold has a beautiful rich colour which contrasts nicely with diamonds and which some people prefer.
Whatever metal you choose a round, brilliant cut diamond will make a lovely, sparkly solitaire. The cut has become the most popular choice for diamonds because the many facets have such superb light reflecting qualities so the stone really sparkles, and the conical shape avoids shadows forming.
The band size of our diamond solitaires can be adjusted slightly and we offer this service free of charge, please select the best ring size when you order.
Read more about your gold options here.
PLEASE NOTE the price of a diamond is not solely dependent on its size so some slightly smaller stones are actually more expensive than larger ones. Don't worry - it is not a mistake! Contact us for full details.
Choosing between white gold, platinum and yellow gold for your engagement ring is almost harder thanthan choosing the stones and largely comes down to personal preference. Platinum is more durable than either white or yellow gold, but is a bit more expensive. White gold is a more affordable silver toned option but needs quite a lot of maintenance to keep the rhodium plating perfect. Yellow gold has a beautiful rich colour which contrasts nicely with diamonds and which some people prefer.
Whatever metal you choose a round, brilliant cut diamond will make a lovely, sparkly solitaire. The cut has become the most popular choice for diamonds because the many facets have such superb light reflecting qualities so the stone really sparkles, and the conical shape avoids shadows forming.
The band size of our diamond solitaires can be adjusted slightly and we offer this service free of charge, please select the best ring size when you order.
The brilliant cut produces a gem of outstanding sparkle and shine thanks to the 58 facets and the cone shape that stops light escaping from underneath. It was first produced by Marcel Tolkowsky, a renowned son of a famous family of diamond cutters from Poland, in 1919 after he had done a PhD which included creating and studying ground diamonds at the University of London. Today the round, brilliant cut diamond accounts for approximately 73% of all diamonds sold. Diamonds are prized for their whiteness and the white gold band of this classic, claw set solitaire ring enhances the stone beautifully.
Which shape engagement ring will make you sparkle? Learn more in our blog.
Choose a diamond from 0.25 to 0.50 carats and see the prices and details for your unique choice of ring. The band size of our diamond solitaires can be adjusted slightly and we offer this service free of charge, please select the best ring size when you order.
This is a truly magnificent ring with a very good quality stone. It is colour graded as almost colourless with an H, it has excellent clarity and is graded as SI2, with very slight inclusions visible in lab conditions under 10 x magnification. It has a carat weight of 1.02 and the classic brilliant cut makes the most of its fire and sparkle. The white, bright tone of the setting also shows it off to its best advantage. Platinum is both beautiful and durable so this ring will keep its good looks for a lifetime if treated with care.
The princess cut is a brilliant cut and has all the sparkle of the traditional round stone but in a clean, contemporary, square shape. The certified diamond is 0.86 carats in weight with a clarity rating of VVS2 - very, very slightly included. The inclusions are likely to be visible only from the crown under 10x magnification. The H grade for colour means the stone is near colourless and has a very desirable level of whiteness, which is emphasised by the silver tone of the platinum band. This is a very good quality piece of jewellery which will look beautiful for a lifetime with the appropriate care.
An emerald cut diamond has a lovely, elegant, vintage look and shows off the colour and clarity of the stone. The rectangular shape looks nice on your hand. This beautiful ring has a half carat stone of H or near colourless colour and VS2 clarity, which means it has very slight inclusions that would mainly only be visible under magnification unless a trained observer looked closely in ideal conditions.
A certified diamond comes with a detailed description of the stone you are buying. This solitaire diamond has a G 'near colourless grade' and S/1 clarity, meaning that it has slight inclusions only visible under magnification. An emerald cut is perfect for showing off the excellent colour and clarity of this stone as the large table emphasises them. It has good symmetry so it looks good on and the quality cut means that the stone has the famous emerald cut "hall of mirrors" light reflecting properties. This is a very chic, sophisticated ring with a subtly vintage feel.
Buying a certified diamond means you have a guarantee of the quality of the piece you are buying. Stones are assessed on cut, colour, clarity and carat weight to value them. This lovely ring was custom made for Swag, the stone is brilliant cut which gives it great sparkle, and weighs in at. 80 carats. Choosing a stone at just under a carat marker is a great way to get fantastic value. The diamond is graded as G, near colourless, and as slightly included level 1 which means it has inclusions that were visible when it was inspected under 10 x magnification in a laboratory but they are hard to spot by eye. The platinum setting is both beautiful and very durable, if you look after it well this ring will repay you with a lifetime of looking good.
The pear or tear drop cut is a cross between a brilliant and a marquise cut and is the most sparkling fancy cut for precious stones. It is always striking and a little bit different, perfect if you prefer something a bit more unusual. The shape is flattering to the hand and looks pretty on, especially if you have longer fingers. A pear cut stone has a greater surface area than a round cut, so the same carat weight makes a bigger display. This diamond is carefully claw set to protect the narrow end of the stone.
This glorious ring was specially made for Swag using a 3.01 carat diamond with a VS1 rating, meaning it has very slight inclusions which would be hard to see without the 10 x magnification used in the lab, and a J 'near colourless' rating, which means it will look beautifully white, especially set on platinum. It is brilliant cut which gives the stone maximum fire and sparkle, and the claw setting shows it off to its best advantage. The substantial weight of the stone gives the piece real presence on your hand. An investment piece, one that will always look perfect throughout the years.
Find out more about buying certified diamonds here.
If you love this ring but prefer a different cut of diamond why not have a ring made specially for you?
The band size of our diamond solitaires can be adjusted slightly and we offer this service free of charge, please just let us know the best ring size when you make your selection.
Only 3 percent of the world's diamonds are now emerald cut, but the effect is both striking and beautiful, especially if you love a vintage look. Emerald cut diamonds were hugely popular in the 1930s, especially set in platinum, as the rectangular shape was perfect for the bold, new geometric patterns that came into vogue following the “Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes” in Paris in 1925 where 'Art Deco' took the world by storm.
Emerald cut diamonds have lower refraction than brilliant cut stones but they have better reflection and show off the colour and clarity of the stone more. The faceted edges to have some sparkle and the body of the stone will give beautiful flashes of light if it has been well cut. The emerald cut is flattering to the fingers, showing them off at their longest and slimmest.
The stone in an emerald cut ring looks larger than a brilliant cut stone of similar carat because the surface area is greater. Look carefully at your ring and make sure you like the height to width ratio, there are theories about what is optimum but nowadays the biggest guideline is really personal taste. The emerald cut is not graded officially when a stone is certified and so choose what you love.
Celebrities seem to love an Emerald cut stone, maybe because they look so lovely on.
Silver toned metal is a popular choice for diamond jewellery as it emphasises the whiteness of the stones.
Read more about the important qualities for diamonds in our guide.
If you like this look rather than a yellow gold band you need to weigh up whether you want a white gold or a platinum ring.
Check out the factors to consider on our blog or watch our video on YouTube.
The round brilliant cut diamond is a modern classic and always in demand because it brings out so much sparkle in a gem: there are 58 faces so it really catches the light. The round shape sits beautifully on a band, fits neatly with a wedding ring, flatters most fingers and is a classic that will never be out of style.
The band size of our diamond solitaires can be adjusted slightly and we offer this service free of charge, please select the best ring size when you order.
The pear cut diamond is a striking choice, and looks particularly good if you have long fingers. Also known as a teardrop cut the stone has a large surface area relative to its carat weight and lots of sparkle as there are 57 faces catching the light. Look for a lovely regular cut with the two curves matching and the point in a line with the centre of a nice semi circular shape at the other end. Colour can be important with a pear cut stone as if you have a slightly yellower diamond the point can look dark. Our rings are inspected with care. Pear cut diamonds also run the risk of having very black shadows reflected in them in two patches - known as a 'bow tie effect' as it looks like a man's bow tie. Most fancy cuts display a small shadow as when you look at them you block the light but it should not be pronounced.
The platinum setting is wonderfully durable to keep your ring looking good for a lifetime and the silver tone helps display your diamond at its best as it doesn't reflect any yellow colours.
Fans of the pear cut include Jessica Simpson, Princess Charlene of Monaco, Victoria Beckham and Anna Kournikova who has a striking 11 carat pink pear shaped diamond on her ring.