EPISODE 007
Hello, hello everyone. Welcome, come on in. This is Tea & Gemstones, your podcast home for anything and everything to do with jewelry and sparkle. We might talk about the science of a gemstone’s color, new designs hitting the Instagram feeds, what’s on the latest red carpet, or the history of epic royal jewels. To take you on all these auditory explorations is me, your host, Jen. I am a lifelong sparkle enthusiast who loves to dig deep on topics and entertainingly overexplain. Today’s episode is a collision of the psychology of shapes mixed with the history of gemstone design. So, let’s get started.
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Humans have been creating personal talismans of jewelry for over one hundred thousand years. It is how we outwardly display our identity to others, connect to memories, embolden ourselves with strength and happiness. And I humbly submit that there is no piece of jewelry more infused with meaning, than an engagement ring. An engagement ring displays a couple’s dedication and love to each other… but c’mon… besides that wonderful stuff- the engagement ring design is an incredibly intimate choice, reflecting the personality of the bride (and sometimes the groom too) for the whole world to see.
Nowadays there are infinite choices for tailoring an engagement ring to convey the exact vibe a couple desires. But let’s backtrack through history to see… has it always been this way? What where the first engagement ring shaped like?
Well, the first recorded giving of rings to symbolize a commitment to marriage was the Romans. They had the lovely custom of giving women gold bands with little keys attached to them to symbolize the man’s ownership over her. Might be a problematic statement to make in modern times, but I suppose romance was different back then. Our first diamond engagement ring enters the history books in 1477, when Archduke Maximillian of Austria publicly proposed to Mary of Burgundy in front his court in Vienna. The proposal was documented in multiple writings and a couple paintings… the 15th century equivalent of celebrities having their engagement photos splashed in a magazine. This first ring is pretty simple, it’s a textured yellow gold band with a round-ish white diamond set in a thick gold square setting. Following Max & Mary’s engagement, diamond engagement rings took off in popularity, all the way through to today… with modern day diamond supply companies like De Beers stoking the flames of desire with ad campaigns like “a diamond is forever”.
So, you want a diamond engagement ring. That beautiful, glimmering, glittering rock on your finger to accompany you through literally everything you do in life… save showering and sleeping. What shape and design do you want resting so glamorously on your finger? Well, humans love to customize everything… and diamonds come in a wonderful plethora of shapes. Let’s talk about them and maybe you’ll discover the shape that speaks to your sparkly soul.
The very first diamond engagement ring showcased a round cut diamond. And the round cut has reigned supreme as the top stone choice ever since. Probably because the round cut is perfectly designed for maximum diamond sparkle… and well, people really like that, haha. The round brilliant design was created in 1919 by a gemologist and mathematician named Marcel Tolkowsky. He actually presented his 58-facet round design for a diamond as his thesis for his phD. Facets are the little cuts all over a diamond that give it its shape and sparkle. The way facets are arranged on a stone make the shape and change the way the stone reflects light, aka how much the diamond will sparkle. Usually, more facets mean more sparkle. The round cut has 58 facets placed around the circle to make the diamond glitter beautifully. But cutting a rough diamond into a circle shape means a lot of the stone gets wasted, cutting it away to make it nice and round. Because of this, round diamonds are some of the most expensive. That doesn’t deter people from buying them… as of 2015, a whopping 75% of all diamond jewelry featured a round brilliant cut. It is classic, traditional, never goes out of style… circles symbolize eternity, never-ending- perfect for love and a marriage. But don’t be bored… The round diamond is not so simple and basic as it may seem. There are several interesting variations on the classic circle. The first of the round cut diamonds were called Old European Cuts. This harkens back to before about 1930, when diamonds were cut by hand. The facets were less precisely placed, and could be chunkier, variable, artistic, carrying the mark of being sort of… homemade. These antique cut stones are now highly prized and can fetch an even heftier price tag than their modern ‘perfect’ equivalents due to their history and individual uniqueness. No two old European cut diamonds are exactly alike, they’re beloved for their un-perfectness. Speaking of perfection in a round cut… if your personality strives for a mix of classical traditionalism and engineered excellence, you might choose a “Hearts & Arrows” round cut. Hearts and Arrow is an ultra-precise way to cut a round diamond. The cut was created in Japan in the 1980s. This cut requires special tools to allow the gem cutter to create the optical design, the facets are cut in such a way that when you look down at the diamond from the top, you see eight symmetrical arrows. When you look up through the bottom of the diamond, you see eight symmetrical hearts. Hearts and Arrows can cost up to three times more than a standard round diamond due to the time and skill required to cut them. Less than 1% of diamonds are Hearts and Arrows. But you want to make your classic traditional round diamond have a little extra somethin’-somethin’, you would be rarified company to own a Hearts and Arrows.
The second most popular diamond shape is what I consider the classic opposite of a circle, it’s a square. More specifically it is called a “square modified brilliant”, but you probably know it by it’s more fun nickname, the princess cut. The a less refined version of the princess cut was around starting in the 1960s, but this glittering square really took off in the 1980s. In 1971 two different gem cutters registered new square diamond designs calling them the “barion” and the “profile”, respectively. In 1979 a collaborative group of gem cutters registered the “quadrillion” cut. The name was a mouthful, and it quickly adopted the princess nickname because the shape was deemed “fit for a princess.” These sparkly inverted pyramids have a range of 50 to 58 facets and they are for a modern woman who loves to have a little twist on a classic while still staying traditional. Plenty of women have been entranced by the princess cut’s four sharp corners and high refraction rate, in 2015 it was estimated that about 25 to 30% of engagement rings feature a princess cut diamond. A great selling point for princess cuts is the price tag… rather… they carry a much smaller cost than the ever popular rounds. This is because gem cutters can get more bang for their buck out of a rough stone by making it square… think about it… if a princess cut were to become a round, you’d have to lop off those corners- that’s waste, bits of diamond just gone in order to get a circle. A good price comparison is you can get a 1 carat princess for the cost of an eighth of a carat round. So, if you want a good amount of bling on a budget, this princess is for you.
The third most popular diamond is a shape with it’s roots deep in history, and it’s future is on the rise. At the intersection of where old meets new, is the cushion cut diamond. The soft, pillowy cushion cut we see today on the fingers of celebrities like Kim Kardashian West, Sofia Vergara, Gabrielle Union and Meghan Markle, owes it’s creation to a much older shape… the Old Mine cut. Back in the 1700s when there was a lot of diamond mining happening in Brazil, the gem cutters of that time were looking for best cut to maximize the sparkle from a rough diamond without losing too much of the precious material. The Old Mine cut is what they landed on. These hand-cut stones are such a favorite of mine- they are full of personality. Nothing about them is uniform, they have a square-ish, rectangle-ish shape with rounded corners and while it has 58 facets like a modern round… the facets are much larger, giving these stones more of a candlelight flash rather than a glittering disco ball vibe. The Hope Diamond is an old mine cut cushion. I love these stones. They are romantic and beautiful and were the most popular shape until the round brilliant came on the scene. The old mine cut faded out of use. People wanted the big-time sparkle and bling that other cuts could bring to their fingers. But in the 1980s and 1980s, gem cutters went back to the old mine cut design and approached it with modern technology, and lo and behold, the modern cushion cut was born. The softness of the rounded rectangle shape appeals to whimsy and love, with it’s long sides speaking to structure and feeling safe and secure. A perfect stone to represent love. Besides it’s gorgeous shape, cushion cuts carry another layer of appeal… they’re considered affordable. A one carat cushion cut diamond will cost about 25% less than a one carat round diamond because of you guessed it- cutting waste. The old mine cut was designed to maximize yield from a stone, and the modern cushion cut is no different. It’s beauty with a reasonable price tag, no wonder it’s zooming up the popularity ladder. Last records state about 8% of engagement rings feature a cushion cut. But mark my words, you heard it here- princess cuts better watch out. The cushion is cruising for a top spot.
Round, princess, and cushion solidly dominate the diamond shape world. They make up about 90% of all engagement rings. But diamond come in so many additional amazing cuts. The other 10% of engagement rings are having fun with a veritable playground of designs. I’m going to list as many as I can find because even their names are just great. Check out this line-up: emerald, oval, pear, asscher, marquise, radiant, heart, Portuguese, trilliant, baguette, aspery, the eighty-eight, Ashoka, jubilee, crisscut, lily, rose, portrait and bead. I mean, …whew! 3 diamond shapes make up 90%. We have 19 other shapes crowding up the remaining 10%. This also isn’t a conclusive list, there are several other really, realllly obscure shapes and some shapes that are officially branded to a gem cutting house so they aren’t really publicly available. But let’s talk about these cutss; they have amazing unique qualities. Let’s do a quick hit list of some of these rare shapes and their personalities.
You wouldn’t think with the long, elegant rectangles of the emerald cut diamond sitting on famous fingers like Beyonce, Amal Clooney, and Angelina Jolie that emeralds are a rare cut… but the estimates place emerald cuts on less than 3% of engagement rings. This sophisticated step cut was originally not designed for diamonds, it was for… as the name states, emeralds. Oh emeralds. This tricky soft green gemstone has an annoying tendency to break and fracture when it is cut. The emerald cut, with it’s long straight lines down the sides was designed to minimize breakage for the fickle greenies. In the 1920s with the art deco design boom, gem cutters turned the emerald cut pattern on diamonds, and a classic was born. Emeralds are a different breed than rounds, princesses or cushions; they don’t capitalize on sparkle- the long lines in them create more of a ‘flash’, a gorgeous ‘hall of mirrors’ effect when you gaze into them. Because of their wide-open top without cut lines, these nicknamed ‘ice rinks’ need a high clarity rating so you don’t peer down into them and see a blemish marring your great view. But don’t fear needing a high clarity driving up your stone price… because of the economical long cuts, emerald diamonds, like a cushion, cost about 25% less than an equivalent round.
So. Perhaps you quite like the idea of strong powerful rectangle. But the clear windows of the emerald cut don’t satisfy that innate human desire for sparkle. Well, let me introduce you to a personal favorite of mine… the radiant cut. I firmly believe the radiant cut is one of those best of all world’s cuts. In terms of historical cuts, the radiant is a newbie. It was created in 1977 by a master gem cutter named Henry Grossbard. Henry challenged himself to create a cut that quote “would unleash the full potential of a diamond’s brilliance” unquote. The result is an amazing 70 facet long rectangle with provocative clipped corners. Remember, every facet is an additional chance for sparkle. Rounds, princess, cushions, emeralds and ovals have about 58 facets. So radiants have 20% more glitter packed into their rectangle shape. Radiants are for women who embrace symmetry and balance, and also inner fire. Basically… radiants combine the sparkle and dazzle of a round with the elongating elegance of an emerald. If I’m waxing poetic about radiants, it’s because I just love them so much. The first radiant cut diamond I ever saw was Jennifer Lopez’s 6 carat pink Harry Winston engagement ring from Ben Affleck. I had a subscription to People magazine, and they did a feature on it. I remember tearing it out and keeping the picture in my locker at school in 2002; I was in 7th grade. But 19 years later, my husband made my radiant cut dreams come true, my 10th anniversary ring features a radiant moissanite. I highly recommend.
Let’s transition from the bold, confident rectangle. What shape do you think makes you feel soft, yet strong? One thing that stood out to me when I was researching was this shape is stated to create a feeling of friendly completeness. Isn’t that a lovely phrase? Friendly completeness. Well, this feminine happy shape is the oval. I love the story of how the modern oval cut came to be. A Russian born gem cutter named Lazare Kaplan had been cutting diamonds since he was 13. He had a reputation for taking diamonds that were deemed worthless because of their internal flaws and he would find ways to cleave and cut them to make them beautiful and sparkling. In 1957 he turned his creative talents to perfecting an oval shaped diamond that would ‘face up’ larger than an equivalent round- that means a one carat diamond will look more like a one and quarter sized stone. The oval’s 58 facets stretch elegantly down your finger, giving you tremendous visual bang for your buck. Recently some designers are modernizing the oval cut further by setting the stone ‘east-west’ that is horizontally instead of vertically. You can do this with emerald or radiant cuts as well for a fun, unconventional personal customization. Anyway, the oval is a lovely, sophisticated shape. It does have one red flag to watch out for… except it isn’t a red flag, it’s a black bow tie. Sometimes poorly cut oval diamonds can exhibit well, a literal black bow tie effect inside themselves when you look down at them. Not ideal… so be cautious ordering an oval stone off the internet… they are worth seeing in person to make sure it’s not accidentally tuxedo casual with an unintended bow tie.
Maybe you like the oblong shape, but the oval is just too soft for you, too gentle. You want that extended glamour down your finger but with a little more edge and drama. Well… I’d like you to meet the sexy marquise cut. You might think a diamond shape with nicknames like ‘the football’, or ‘navette’, which is French for ‘little ship’ or get this… some call it the canoe cut haha so maybe this cut wouldn’t have a sexy origin story… but it does! It has to do with King Louis the 15th of France… remember him? He is the king we talk about back in episode 3 of Tea & Gemstones- The Affair of the Diamond Necklace. This king liked his ladies… he had a bunch of mistresses at different times. And in the 18th century he commissioned his royal jeweler to design a diamond shape that looked like the lips of his girlfriend. And viola, the marquise shape was born, named after his mistress’ title in French court. It is a sparkly 58 faceted elliptical shape with pointy ends. It is traditionally set vertically, but it can be stunning set on it’s side. Google movie star Catherine Zeta-Jones’ engagement ring- it is an amazing ten carat marquise diamond set ‘east-west.’ The marquise has a really neat trick- it faces up larger than any other diamond shape. Because of it’s long slender shape, it has a huge surface area without a lot of wasted carat weight on the bottom where no one can see it. For example, a three quarters of a carat well-proportioned marquise can look as big as one carat. However, it’s not without one drawback… like the oval, a marquise can sometimes wear an unplanned bow tie, but other than that- this is one sexy sparkly football shaped diamond that is worth consideration.
But perhaps the double pointed marquise is a little too bold for your liking, but the idea of a sharp sexy point intrigues you. Well, there is a shape that blends together the classic traditional softness of a round with the seduction of the marquise… and that shape is the juicy pear. You might think this teardrop is a modern creation, but the pear is actually one of the oldest diamond cuts. It was created in 1475 by a Belgium gem cutter named Lodewyk van Bercken. Lodewyk actually revolutionized the diamond world by inventing the modern diamond polishing wheel. His design used a polishing wheel coated with olive oil and diamond dust that allowed all facets of a diamond to be polish evenly. This new tool allowed for a boom in diamond cut design, but Lodewyk used his invention to create the 58-facet pear cut; the first diamond cut to introduce the concept of absolute symmetry. The glittering teardrop was an instant success. Some of the most famous diamonds are pear cuts. Elizabeth Taylor was gifted a 69-carat pear diamond necklace from her husband Richard Burton, and she flaunted the necklace all over the world, like to Princess Grace of Monaco’s birthday party and to the 42nd Academy Awards. In fact, the largest cut diamond in existence is a pear; the Great Star of Africa. It’s an epically huge stone weighting in at 530 carats and valued at $450 million dollars. Big or dainty, pear-shaped diamonds are a highly personal preference, because of their design they can be pudgier and more rounded, or more lean and long. Picking the right pear stone for you definitely means there is no right or wrong, only what yummy pear version you personally are drawn too.
As the pear plays off being a combo of the marquise and the round, the radiant and oval mix qualities of cushion, emerald and princess… there is a diamond shape that stands totally apart… and that is the asscher. The asscher I suppose you can say is a blend of the square princess and the step-cut long facets of the emerald. But really the asscher is it’s own category. It is technically a square shape, but it does not have the sharp corners of a princess, the asscher’s corners are cropped, giving it it’s trademark octagonal shape. The cropped corners also allow more light to enter the stone. This shape’s moniker comes from it’s maker… a mister Joseph Asscher. He had founded his diamond cutting company in 1854 in Amsterdam. Mr. Asscher was very, very good at his job. He is actually the one who cut the Great Star of Africa I just mentioned. Well, in 1902 Joseph Asscher designed his special 58 facet octagonal diamond shape and then he did something no gem cutter had ever done before… he patented his design. That meant that no one else could legally cut a diamond into his asscher shape. When the roaring 1920s came around about two decades later, the asscher diamond was embraced as the art deco jewel of the era. The 1920s were a shift away from tradition and the geometric and modern lines of the asscher were right on trend. The asscher company’s patent expired after World War II, opening up the design for any gem cutter. However, the complex design is notoriously difficult to execute well, making the asscher a very rare cut to see just sitting out in a jewelry display case. But I hope you get the chance to see an asscher diamond one day in person; they are so charming. Rather than a disco ball of tiny sparkles, the asscher treats you to large flashes of clean white light. Gazing down into a well down asscher diamond is like falling to a hall of mirrors. But get this… so the original asscher diamond has the standard 58 facets. Well, Joseph Asscher’s great-grandsons, who work at his still thriving company- in 2001 to celebrate one hundred years of the asscher cut, his descendants released a brand new asscher cut, this time with a staggering 74 facets within the octagon. When the design was released, people were stunned. The company named the cut, the Royal Asscher, and it is described as infinite mirrored pool of diamond. I haven’t seen a royal asscher in person, but it’s on my list. So, if you’re thinking of purchasing a pendant, ring, earrings… consider an asscher. This architectural diamond lends itself to those who crave balance and structure yet are creative and romantic.
Okay, well… those nine shapes are your foundation of diamond design. Round, princess, cushion, emerald, radiant, oval, marquise, pear and asscher. Granted, yes- there are so many more and honestly, the more obscure and random they get the more interesting I find them, haha
Take for instance the 88 cut. It draws inspiration from Asian culture which considers 8 a lucky number. This octagon design has 88 facets creating a swirly sparkle effect inside the stone.
If sparkle is your end all be all goal, you have to consider a Portuguese cut diamond. It has a truly amazing 161 facets. This cut is performed on deep round stones that have the surface area to yield all those 161 little sparkly slices. The end result is a veritable disco ball, some people call Portuguese diamonds, “kaleidoscopic flowers.”
If Portuguese is all sparkle, then portrait diamonds are the complete opposite. A portrait cut diamond is cutting a slice of diamond entirely flat without any facets at all. It is called “portrait” because in India they used to put the clear diamond slices over tiny painted portraits of loved ones on rings. Movie star Rooney Mara’s 2019 engagement ring from Joaquin Phoenix is a hexagon portrait diamond.
Since I have such a fondness for rectangle diamonds, the last cut I want to mention is the ultra-exclusive Ashoka cut. The Ashoka is a cushion-emerald hybrid cut with a exceptional 62 facet design. The special facet layout requires a large clear stone. Not many diamonds meet the requirements to receive an Ashoka cut. Get this… the minimum requirements for the cut is a diamond that is three carats of larger and internally flawless. But oh, oh how it’s worth it; the stunning vertical pattern of the Ashoka is like nothing else. And this cut allows a diamond to face up almost 50% larger than an equivalent emerald or radiant. If you want to google and oogle a famous Ashoka, check out Reese Witherspoon, she’s lucky enough to sport a 4 carat Ashoka.
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Okay… I think it has accurately come across how much of a passion of mine gemstone shapes are. But yall… I love how gem cutting marries together creativity and science. I imagine the gem cutters, sitting in their workshops either hundreds of years ago or just a few decades past, and examining rough diamond stones and contemplating what shapes they could create, and the math and technical skill required to bring the artistic vision to reality.
Sometimes it makes me a little sad all these centuries of creativity and science and experimentation have ultimately just ended up in a world where 75% of people chose a white circle. Now… I understand the appeal of a round cut diamond; I do. They sparkle. They’re classic. A circle is a lovely symbol of eternity and never-ending love. But… I mean, for me, personally, I am in love with the idea of making a choice so much more personal and fine-tuned. But the beautiful thing about an engagement ring is it is one for one person. It does not have to please a crowd or match a trendy vibe. It is a beautiful, exclusive, utterly meaningful piece of jewelry to honor a commitment between two people. It should be exactly what you want. And the amazing thing about diamonds is there are so many shape choices out there, you can find exactly what sings to your soul.
I know I talked about all these shapes in the context of engagement rings, but diamonds are not locked into only applying to a proposal. You can buy a “just because I love it” ring for any of the other nine fingers on your hand. How about a diamond pendant necklace? Or some amazing earrings in a pear teardrop, or a princess cut tennis bracelet? Diamonds are for everyone, and for every day. Life is an occasion. Surround yourself with beautiful gems that reflect your personality and what you love. I mean, these shapes can be applied to most other gemstones, not just diamonds. Hello, emerald cut? Looks amazing on actual emeralds, haha. You can have a radiant cut sapphire, a pear cut topaz, a marquise aquamarine. Find the shape you love and get it in every color. Or find the color you love and get it in every shape!
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That’s all for this episode of Tea & Gemstones. I hope you have thought more about how shapes make you feel than ever before, haha I honestly do hope you have an opinion… if you didn’t before, I hope you have one now! Head over to Tea & Gemstones on Instagram and comment on the show post and let me know what shape is your favorite… or not so favorite. Check out our show notes for a link to our website and the bibliography. Our website also hosts full transcripts for every episode if you want to go back and read through any episodes instead of listen. Our theme song is by Joseph McDade and I, Jen, have been your enthusiastic host. Already everyone, until next time… stay sparkly.
T&S DIAMOND SHAPES 101
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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“Ashoka-Cut Diamonds: The Complete Guide.” Brides, 15 June 2021, www.brides.com/ashoka-cut-diamonds-4801849#:%7E:text=The%20Ashoka%20cut%20is%20a,rectangular%20shape%20and%20rounded%20corners.&text=Ashoka%20cut%20diamonds%20are%20exceedingly,in%20size%20and%20essentially%20flawless%20.
Beyond 4Cs. “The Top 4 Most Famous Pear Shaped Diamonds in the World.” Beyond 4Cs, 25 June 2019, beyond4cs.com/shapes/pear/famous-pear-shaped-diamonds.
Diamond, All. “The First Diamond Engagement Ring? The Story of Maximilian I and Mary of Burgundy.” All Diamond, 9 Feb. 2021, www.ehudlaniado.com/home/index.php/news/entry/the-first-diamond-engagement-ring-the-story-of-maximilian-i-and-mary-of-burgundy.
“Diamond Shape, Outline & Appearance: Everything to Know.” Grav, 4 June 2021, www.withclarity.com/education/diamond-education/diamond-shape.
“Eighty-Eighty Diamond Shape | Diamond Source of Virginia.” Diamond Source, www.diamondsourceva.com/education/shape/diamonds-shape-eighty-eighty.asp. Accessed 8 Nov. 2021.
Fasel, Marion. “The Year of Smallish Celebrity Engagement Rings | The Adventurine.” The Adventurine, theadventurine.com/bridal/engagement-rings/the-year-of-smallish-celebrity-engagement-rings. Accessed 8 Nov. 2021.
Glovory Design. “Psychology of Shapes in Design: How Different Shapes Can Affect People Behaviour.” Medium, 15 Apr. 2021, uxdesign.cc/psychology-of-shapes-in-design-how-different-shapes-can-affect-people-behavior-13cace04ce1e.
International Gem Society LLC. “The History of Cushion Cut Diamonds.” International Gem Society, 9 Sept. 2021, www.gemsociety.org/article/history-cushion-cut-diamonds.
Jonathon. “The History of the Marquise-Cut Diamond.” The Brilliance.Com Blog, 14 May 2020, blog.brilliance.com/diamonds/the-history-of-the-marquise-cut-diamond.
---. “The History of the Oval Diamond Ring.” The Brilliance.Com Blog, 14 May 2020, blog.brilliance.com/diamonds/the-history-of-the-oval-diamond-ring.
---. “The History of the Radiant Diamond Cut.” The Brilliance.Com Blog, 14 May 2020, blog.brilliance.com/diamonds/the-history-of-the-radiant-diamond-cut.
“The Meaning of Princess Cut Diamond.” Leibish, 7 Sept. 2017, www.leibish.com/the-meaning-of-princess-cut-diamond-article-1481.
Sharon. “Marcel Tolkowsky, The Man Behind the Round Brilliant Diamond Cut.” The Brilliance.Com Blog, 17 July 2020, blog.brilliance.com/diamonds/marcel-tolkowsky-brilliant-round-cut-diamond-inventor.