WORKSHOP | Gemstone Shapes Explained

The most popular modern diamond cut for engagement rings and any melee diamonds or gemstones placed on the ring's shank.

A simple 8-cut version of a round diamond with only 18 facets. This makes them a cheaper cut that offers a more vintage look to the jewellery.

It features a rounded table and larger, triangular facets, similar to the modern brilliant cut. It is an Antique cut because it was popular between the 1870s and 1930s.

A cushion-shaped 16-cut diamond that was popular between the 19th and early 20th centuries. It's a cross between a single-cut and a full-cut diamond.

A Zircon-shaped gemstone, not to be confused with the Zircon Gemstone, is a modified brilliant shape. It usually has additional facets on the pavilion (lower part of the stone), giving it a slightly different look.

It boasts many intricate arrangements of facets, which creates a complexity that enhances brilliance and contributes to a unique depth and sparkle.

Similar to the Round Brilliant but with added faceting, resulting in a petal-like scintillation on the outer rim.

It was made in the early 20th century to honour Queen Victoria's 50th anniversary. Instead of a flat table at the top, it has 8 facets.

A zinnia-shaped diamond has many facets around the culet, which gives it a bright lustre and brilliance when it moves.

It is one of the few modified round diamonds that retains a Hearts & Arrows patterning. It is a patented cut with 91 facets and 10 Hearts & Arrows.

It is circular like its namesake, with a flat top and a domed crown between 12 and 24 facets. Popular in the 16th Century

Unlike a brilliant round, which has eight-fold symmetry, a round magna has 10-fold symmetry and 102 facets. It's one of several modified round brilliant cuts developed by New York City firms.

A trap brilliant round gemstone features trapeze shapes in the crown, unlike the brilliant round, which uses trapeze and triangular shapes.

It features a majority of red light, with blue emanating from the centre to the edges and green light in the centre. To the viewer's eye, it produces a brighter sparkle from all angles.

In 2003, a new patented cutting style for the round diamond, the Star 129, was introduced. It has 129 facets rather than the traditional 58 facets on the classic Round Brilliant cut diamond.

It is the only proper square cut, as it is the only one with a real corner. This shape is crisp, cool, and sparkles just as much as a round brilliant.

Unlike a typical princess cut, the bezel cut features diamond-shaped facets extending from the table corners to the stone corners.

An antique version of the modern princess cut, it also has a brilliant facet structure and can often be called a square-modified brilliant.

Recognisable by the typical cross the crown facets depict. It was created in the 1400s but was fashionable in the 18th century and the Art Deco Era.

The Quadrillion's lower-pavilion facets widen toward the culet rather than narrowing, creating a star effect in the middle of the diamond.

It boasts more fiery brilliance than the princess cut, which reflects light neatly.

A square-shaped stone with 90֯ corners and a significant upper facet. Its step-cut facets emphasize flaws, so only high-quality gems are used in this style—a popular choice in the Art Deco Era.

A gemstone shape that traditionally was referred to as the pillow-cut. Rounded edges soften the corners of this square gemstone. It is a very popular shape for engagement rings.

Its unique facet pattern creates a noticeable sparkle, like crushed ice or shattered glass. However, its brilliance and fire aren't as effective as those of a brilliant-cut gemstone.

Typically, it has an open culet, a high crown, a small table, and broad facets that are not as thin and stretched as modern ones. In its day, this antique cut was known as an 'old mine cut'.

A step-cut with clipped corners, often described as a "square emerald cut," is named after its creator, Joseph Asscher. It features significant, wide-set facets that create a "hall of mirrors" effect when viewed from the top.

They are sought after for their understated glamour and eye-catching depth. A large, open table highlights the stone’s pure colour and icy clarity.

This step cut, 57 faceted, cropped corner cut, is brilliant and is known to mask yellowish tints and imperfections.