Everything You Need to Know About Round Cut Diamonds

Round cut diamonds are the classic diamond shape. Even the diamond emoji is a round cut - and statistically, round brilliant cuts are the most chosen center stone. 70% of diamond engagement rings sold today have round brilliant diamonds center stones.

You might assume a popular diamond would be a rather dull choice? Au contraire! Brilliant cut diamonds are the best-selling diamonds because they are simply the best at what they do sparkle!

What is a Round Cut Diamond?

Round brilliant-cut diamonds have 58 facets including the culet – the flat face on the bottom – or 57 without it. A well-cut round diamond can reflect nearly 100% of light, making it the most brilliant cut available. 

The cutting process for round diamonds leaves behind more raw material than other shapes. For this reason, and the fact that round brilliants are always in high demand, brilliant-cut diamonds tend to be a bit pricier.

Round diamonds have one special feature that justifies their price (for some): Because round diamonds refract light so well, they have a unique ability to mask yellowish tones and slight inclusions visible in other stones.

A well-cut diamond will look better and shine brighter than a poor cut on a diamond of the same color, allowing you to save money without sacrificing beauty.

Old European Cut Round Diamonds

Old European cut diamonds are the vintage equivalent to the modern round cut. Popular before the advent of contemporary diamond technology, these stones were hand-cut and measured by eye. 

These antique stones can be identified by their higher crown, larger culet, and smaller table. The deeper cut plays on flashes of light. It was known for its "inner fire.."

They have since been replaced by round brilliant cut diamonds, which possess superior brilliance, fire, and scintillation due to their precise cut.

Brilliance, Fire, and Scintillation

Round cut

Round cut diamonds bring one thing to the table above all else, that sparkle! Diamond cutters have been perfecting tools and techniques to bring out that unique sparkle and shine for decades.

How do you measure the perfect cut? It all comes down to three important factors..

Diamond Brilliance

Brilliance is what we call the sparkle of a diamond.

• • Brilliance is measured by the amount of white light reflected off the table.
• • Well-cut round diamonds are designed to reflect as much white light as possible
• • The round cut provides more brilliance than any other shape
  

Diamond Fire

Those little glints of rainbow light that reflect from your diamond? That's "fire"

• • Fire is measured by the amount of colored light that is reflected from the diamond
• • A well-cut stone shows off lots of color in its sparkle

Diamond Scintillation

Scintillation puts the bling into brilliance

• • Scintillation refers to the flashes of light that bounce off each facet when the stone is in motion
• There are two different types of scintillation: 
• • Flash scintillation is the flashes of white light reflected off a diamond
• • Fire scintillation is flashes of color
• • Round cut diamonds are beloved for their scintillation as they let light in from every angle

Fancy terminology aside, what does this mean for you and the gem of your dreams? When it comes to round brilliant diamonds, an eye-clean diamond (one that looks good to the naked eye) and has a high cut grade is a good choice. 

We pre-select all of our stones for brilliance, fire, and scintillation. So when it comes to sparkle, we've got you covered. 

Conclusion

These gems have a unique versatility as their symmetry allows them to shine in any setting. 

Whether you're looking for the brilliant shine of a modern ring or the vintage beauty of classic Victorian style, you can't go wrong with a round-cut diamond. It is a classic, elegant choice. Check out round brilliant engagement rings on our site.