Whether you’ve seen all the diamond cuts or not, there’s one everyone has seen. Round cut diamonds are a staple when it comes to rings, particularly women’s engagement rings. These diamonds are a thing of envy as they make up every woman’s dream ring! With their optimal brilliance, they create mesmerising sparkle, and look like the best diamond shape because they really are!
This blog focuses on the round brilliant cut diamond, its purpose in rings, and styling ideas surrounding it.
What is the Round Brilliant Diamond Cut?
To put it simply, a brilliant round cut is the diamond terminology for a circular or round-shaped diamond cut meticulously to create carefully calibrated facets that capture and return as much light as possible.
When compared to the other diamond cuts (shapes), no other cut has been perfected to the same degree as the round cut.
The appearance and unmatched brilliance are mostly a result of these three parts:
The table: the top section that’s flat
The crown: a section that sits between the table and girdle
The pavilion: two internally angling sections connecting the culet and the two girdles
The combined action of these elements is what leads to its exceptional brilliance and brief flashes of colour.
Apart from being known as the round brilliant cut diamond, these diamonds are also known by the short-form RBC.
History of Round Cut Diamonds
The modern-day brilliant round cut was, in fact, discovered early in 1919 by a diamond cutter by the name of Marcel Tolkowsky. Upon making his findings, he wrote and published them in his thesis entitled “Diamond Design”.
His discovery of this diamond cut was heavily influenced by mathematics and physics to carefully determine the ideal angles and proportions that allow maximum light refraction.
This is why most current-day round brilliant diamonds have 58 facets or faces and are arguably the most desirable cut of diamonds.
Anatomy of a Round Brilliant Diamond
Every perfect round cut diamond has the same distinct physical appearance, and when you break it down to individual parts, its uniqueness is a sort of artwork.
Did you know the GIA has an official grade cut for this diamond shape, and it’s the only diamond cut to have one!
The Ideal Proportions for a Brilliant Round Cut Diamond
The quality of round diamonds (including their brilliance and cut), depends solely on their precise proportions and angles. Minute alterations to an angle will create a ricochet effect with noticeable changes to the path light takes through the diamond, affecting its fire and brilliance.
It makes sense that all globally renowned grading bodies use careful measurements to measure diamond proportions rather than depending on visual characteristics.
All major certification institutes (IGI, GIA, AGS) are known to follow the following standards for grading a round brilliant cut diamond that delivers the best fire, brilliance, and therefore sparkle as well.
Internationally Followed Proportions for the Best Round Cut Diamond
Pros & Cons of Round Brilliant Cut Diamonds
There’s much to appreciate about this ageless diamond shape, but there are a few things that aren’t as likeable. Here’s a neutral look at the round brilliant cut diamond, or rather, its pros and cons.
Pros of the Round Brilliant Diamond Cut
These diamonds are ideal for engagement rings because they offer maximum sparkle since they reflect light exceptionally well with that hint of flashing rainbow colours.
The shape is one that stays in fashion as years and seasons pass.
This cut is somewhat sly, hiding the few flaws (inclusions) that exist.
Round diamonds are amongst the most sought-after cuts and remain a top shape for women’s diamond jewellery.
Cons of the Round Brilliant Diamond Cut
Popularity comes with a price, and this diamond shape often attracts a higher price per carat.
More modern, fancy-shaped diamond cuts can spread weight easily, and this may make them look larger than the round shape.
If round cut diamonds aren’t cut well, they don’t live up to expectations in terms of quality.
The Significance of Round Brilliant Diamonds in Women’s Rings
By looking at a round diamond and trying to imagine it in a piece of jewellery, one specific piece comes to mind: rings!
These round brilliant diamonds are the number one diamond cuts for women’s rings, and regardless of prong and band design, there’s one thing you can be sure of: round diamonds will always make a sight to behold!
Nowadays, younger women may prefer fancy-cut diamonds, but it's a timeless classic that won’t be going out of fashion any time soon.
Why Round Brilliant Cut Diamonds are Used for Engagement Rings
Women’s and men’s engagement rings make use of a round cut diamond in some form or another. The same applies to wedding rings or bands, which also make use of this classy shape.
Engagement rings aren’t any regular piece of jewellery; they are a lifelong symbol of love for two people. It’s every reason to pull out all the stops and get a diamond that gives the most sparkle and shine; i.e. the best Scintillation, Brilliance, and Fire.
Its qualities are the reason why most women desire a round diamond engagement ring, and why no other diamond shape comes anywhere near the qualities of the brilliant round shape.
How Round Cut Diamonds Compare to Other Diamond Cuts in Jewellery
Diamond Cut | Shape | Advantages | Disadvantages |
Round | Symmetrical cut | Maximum sparkle, minimal inclusions, efficient use in all jewellery | Higher priced than other diamond shapes/cuts |
Cushion | Vintage, rounded square | Soft, smoothed cut | Bowtie effect, inconsistent sparkle |
Emerald | Step-cut, rectangular | Sleek appearance, highlights clarity | Lower brilliance, flaws (inclusions) are visible |
Heart | Heart shaped | Romantic and symbolic | Difficult to craft and less sparkling than other cuts |
Marquise | Football shaped | Larger appearance, theatrical theme | Delicate tips, bowtie effect |
Oval | Elongated look | Elegant and larger appearance | Uneven passage of light, bow-tie shadows |
Pear | Teardrop-shaped | Unique shapes, make fingers look longer | Bowtie effect, delicate tips |
Princess | Modern square shape | Exceptional shine, with unique corners | Lower brilliance, tips are easily damaged |
Radiant | Rectangular or squarish shape | Modern look with brilliance, and sparkle | Appears smaller than diamonds cuts of the same weight |
Proportions & Qualities to Look for in a Round Brilliant Diamond Ring
If you’re on the market for a new diamond engagement ring, consider this blog a case for you to go out and get this diamond cut in a ring.
Scintillation
The dark and light patterns you see when twisting a round diamond engagement ring in your hands are known as scintillation.
Brilliance
A round brilliant diamond ring is prized for its brilliance because rings with these diamonds pass the most amount of light through it, creating that shine.
Fire
When we talk about the rainbow effect you see in diamonds, this property, called fire, is best seen in a ring with the brilliant cut diamond. This carousel of light occurs because light separates into a spectrum when passing through a diamond.
Cloaking Inclusions & Unwanted Colour
Even if the round cut diamond ring isn’t sparkly, you will feel at ease knowing that this diamond cut does well to hide flaws such as inclusions and colouring.
Durability
A round brilliant cut diamond, whether in a ring or unset, on its own, is much more resistant against damage and scratches because it has no sharp edges, disperses impact damage, and is mostly set in a protective setting.
Adaptability
The brilliant round cut is a versatile diamond cut because it fits into a variety of jewellery designs. Rings, earrings, bracelets, and pendants can make use of this classy shape.
Reasons to buy Round Brilliant Cut Diamond Rings
The brilliant cut diamond ring is the people’s favourite, and there are countless reasons for this.
Immense sparkle and concealment of flaws.
Never go out of fashion or get outdated.
Goes with just about every ring band design.
It’s a classical diamond cut/shape.
The only diamond cut for which GIA has an official cut grade.
Globally loved and available everywhere.
How to Style a Round Brilliant Cut Diamond Ring
When it comes to diamond jewellery, the round cut is a champion because it's easy to style.
1. Solitaire Settings: The Classical Favourite
The solitaire diamond ring setting is a favourite among older generations and younger ones. The appeal of a stunning, single 2 to 3-carat diamond is irresistible, which is why women don’t usually say no to stones of these sizes.
The settings for a round cut solitaire ring are usually as classical as this diamond shape, featuring either round prongs or a bezel setting.
2. Halo Designs for Added Hidden Presence
The halo design is centred around the main brilliant round cut stone, which is somewhat subdued by the sparkle of a full ring or ‘halo’ of smaller round diamonds. It’s not mandatory that these diamonds are round-cut.
The band is plain, and its thickness can vary depending on the wearer’s requests. Regarding the setting, the diamond in this round cut ring is held by either a cathedral setting or a round prong setting.
3. Modern Minimalist Settings
Women who see the beauty of plain and simple engagement rings would rather opt for modern rings with modern designs. Here, there’s usually just one stone, and it fits into the category of women’s rings with a solitaire round cut diamond.
These rings feature different designs to create a breathtaking sight and are inspired by a tension setting, best described as a bypass solitaire setting. The prongs are V-shaped claw prongs, which are a more modern prong type.
4. Pavé Rings for Subtle Sparkle
The pavé design theme is most popular in engagement and wedding rings and comes from the French word pavé, meaning ‘paved’. In this eye-catching design, equally sized accent diamonds are placed and set one next to the other to give the ring band an unmistakable paved look.
The settings for these rings range from cathedral settings to Basket settings, and may even feature a combined peg head setting. For the prong settings that hold the stone, options include claw, round, double-prong, and V-shaped prongs.
5. Three-Stone Rings with a Round Brilliant Centre
Popular in women’s engagement rings, they are also a prospect as casual rings for high-profile events and festive occasions. The concept is simple, the central stone is larger and the focus point, while there are two smaller stones on each side of it.
It’s quite common for there to be three diamonds with matching shape and size.
Pear, marquise, or heart-shaped diamonds may feature in these rings alongside the round brilliant cut diamond.
6. Vintage-Themed Round Diamond Rings
These rings are inspired by older retro designs and are still popular for their ability to fit more diamonds onto the ring. In these rings, there may not be a central attraction, and the attention may be spread across countless diamonds.
Most of these vintage-inspired engagement rings for women use a shared-prong pavé setting to conjoin the diamond setting, creating a neat and appealing finish.
Round Lab Grown Diamonds vs Round Mined Diamonds
When it comes to diamonds, experts may divide them into two groups: lab grown and mined. But the real comparison is between the shapes of these diamonds.
Round Lab Grown Diamonds | Round Mined Diamonds |
Perfectly round diamonds | Variations in cut |
Less imperfections and flaws | Potential for greater imperfections and flaws |
Colourless and best quality | Slightly coloured with varying quality |
Lower price point | Higher price |
Easily available | Availability influenced by sourcing and demand |
Because lab grown diamonds deliver quality stones at a decent price point, you’ll find that lab grown diamond engagement rings are highly popular and widely accessible.
End Note
The round brilliant cut diamond is a selection every woman would choose in a heartbeat. The truth is, round diamonds are hard to dislike, as they are easy to design in settings that cater to all types of preferences.
Use a classical prong setting or a modern pavé setting; these engagement rings for women are truly timeless. Svaraa deals in all types of women’s rings and has the best catalogue of engagement rings that use a round brilliant cut diamond as the centre of attraction.
FAQs
What is a round brilliant cut diamond?
When seen from the top, this round diamond sparkles exceptionally due to good light reflection and refraction qualities.
Do round-cut diamonds look bigger?
It’s quite the opposite; these diamonds may look smaller compared to fancier and more modern diamond shapes, which are smartly designed to appear larger.
How many facets does a brilliant round cut diamond have?
If counting the total facets or faces on a brilliant cut diamond, you’ll find 58 facets.
What is the average diameter of a 1-carat round diamond?
The diameter of a round brilliant cut diamond of one carat weight averages 6.4 to 6.5 mm or 0.64 to 0.65 cm.
Are round diamonds more expensive than fancy shapes?
Round diamonds and fancy diamond cuts are priced according to their quality, also known as the 4Cs of diamond grading.
Is colour or clarity more important for a round brilliant?
From an expert’s view, both clarity and colour are important qualities, and a poor rating in either quality would depreciate the whole diamond’s worth.
Why choose a lab grown round diamond ring?
Apart from being cost-efficient, easily available, and available in more designs, these diamonds are ethically sourced and don’t contribute to environmental damage.
What are the most popular settings for round diamonds?
Eye-catching ring settings for a round cut diamond include the cathedral, claw, bezel, halo, and pavé settings.