The Timeless Beauty of Round Diamonds
The round-cut diamond has only been around since 1919, but it has quickly surpassed other cuts in popularity. Due to its incredible brilliance and shine, many people prefer round-cut diamonds for jewelry. Whether you're looking for the perfect engagement ring to wow your partner or you want to gift someone close to you with another type of diamond jewelry, round-cut diamonds will bring the sparkle you're looking for.
What makes round diamonds unique and special? Because of the way the rough diamond is cut, its facets create more sparkle and brilliance than other cuts. Particularly, baguette cuts have little brilliance when compared to a round-cut diamond.
Round diamonds are highly in-demand due to their beauty, so you should expect to pay a bit more than other types of diamond cuts. However, this price increase is well worth the money. We'll go over more about round-cut diamonds and their settings. Plus, we'll explain why you should consider getting them for your next jewelry purchase, as they're the perfect gift for a variety of occasions.
What Is a Round-Cut Diamond?
The round-cut diamond is the most in-demand diamond cut in the world and accounts for most diamond sales today. Its popularity has to do with its superior brilliance and shine when the light hits it. The beautiful sparkle is perfect for an engagement ring or other types of jewelry.
The brilliant round-cut diamond has 58 facets (or 57 with no culet), which work together to refract light and show off an intense sparkle. However, the round-cut diamond typically doesn't have as much surface area as other types of cuts, like emerald or pear cuts. Due to its sparkle, though, the lack of surface area isn't a big deal to most buyers. Most people think of a round diamond as bigger than it actually is because of its sparkle.
For the 4Cs, the recommended cut grade for a round cut is excellent or at the least, very good. Cut is the most important factor when picking out a round cut, as it significantly affects the overall beauty and sparkle of the stone. In order to keep within budget, you can compromise on some of the other 4Cs. Color is not too important with round cuts, so you can opt for a lower color grading and not even notice a difference in the appearance of the stone. For clarity grades, you can go for a VS2 and SI1 with smaller diamonds. For larger diamonds, you may want to go for a clarity grade of at least a VS1.
History of the Round-Cut Diamond
When you look at a diamond, your mind probably doesn't jump to mathematical concepts. However, calculating a diamond's proportions and angles is exactly how the brilliant round cut was first realized. In 1919 Marcel Tolkowsky, a Belgian mathematician, figured out how to calculate a diamond's angles and proportions to create the most brilliant cut available. You don't have to understand his mathematical calculation process to see the superior brilliance and beauty of this cut. Though laser technology and new developments in the round-cut have come a long way since the early twentieth century, it still remains the best cut option for brilliance.
Before the advent of the brilliant round cut in the jewelry world, one of the most similar cuts available was the old European cut. In the mid-1870s, the steam-powered lathe was invented, which allowed for more precise thin cuts of round shapes. Soon after this invention, the old European cut was created with an impressive symmetrical round cut.
The jump from the Old European cut to the modern brilliant round cut is defined by the thinness and exactness of the cuts. In the brilliant round cut, you'll find that the fire (white light dispersion) and brilliance of the stone have been optimized, leading to a more beautiful and memorable stone.
Popular Settings
If you're interested in a diamond ring, you'll need to consider what setting you want. The brilliant round cut looks particularly great in a few settings. We'll go over some of the most popular settings for brilliant round-cut diamonds so you have an idea of what works. However, if you decide to create a custom ring, the right setting will be the one that fits your personal preferences and tastes the best.
Solitaire Setting
The number one most popular ring setting for round diamonds is solitaire. In this setting, you'll be able to keep the focus on the brilliance and beauty of the diamond. It's also a timeless setting that won't go out of style.
With this option, the setting will only feature the brilliant round-cut diamond, so you'll want to take special care to pick out a spectacular option. From the 4Cs (cut, color, clarity, and carat), you'll want to prioritize cut over the other attributes. For a brilliant round-cut diamond, you won't have to worry about color or clarity as much as other types of cuts, like emerald or baguette.
Halo Setting
Though solitaire is one of the most popular settings, round diamonds are versatile and pair well with a variety of different styles and settings. You might want to consider pairing the round-cut diamond with a halo setting. With this option, you can opt for a smaller-sized diamond and frame it with smaller diamonds to give the illusion of a bigger center stone. A halo setting can also be a good choice for those who want more character or uniqueness with their ring.
Three-Stone Setting
Another option that can make a round-cut diamond appear larger is the three-stone setting. With this option, you can pair your center round stone with similar smaller stones to create a lot of brilliance and sparkle. Or, you can also choose flanking stones that provide contrast to the center stones. Different color stones like emeralds, rubies, and sapphires are popular options for these types of settings.
The Pave Setting
If you're looking for something a bit more flashy, then you should consider getting a brilliant round diamond with a Pave setting. With this option, many small diamonds are laid into the band, which will then make the center stone appear larger. If you're looking for a ring with more character and sparkle than a simple solitaire setting, then this option is a good choice.
Bezel Setting
The Bezel setting is a great setting to emphasize the shape and size of the diamond. With this setting, a metal is framed around the stone. The metal surrounds the sides of the stone and overlaps with the edges of the diamond. It's a particularly secure setting for round cuts, so you won't have to worry about the diamond falling out or chipping along the edges. Additionally, the extra metal along the stone can make the diamond appear bigger, making it a great choice for smaller or medium-sized stones.
Tension Setting
If you're more interested in a contemporary, modern style, the tension setting is a good option to pair with a round-cut diamond because you'll be able to show off the full diamond. The stone is firmly gripped on both sides by the ring, however, it appears to be floating. Though it may look insecure, the tension setting is firmly gripping the diamond, so it won't slip out accidentally.
When Should You Give Someone a Round-Cut Diamond?
Are you thinking about getting someone a round diamond? Because of their brilliance, shine, and beauty, round diamonds are perfect for a lot of different occasions. Whether you want to get some diamond earrings for someone special or you want to find the perfect engagement ring, a round-cut diamond is the most popular choice for a variety of different kinds of jewelry. The timelessness of round diamonds ensures that whoever is receiving the stone will absolutely love it. Round diamonds also work with a variety of different styles so you won't have to worry about matching someone's unique tastes.
Engagement Rings
One of the most important and special times to give a person a diamond ring is for an engagement. You may decide to pick out the ring together, or you may decide to surprise your significant other with a beautiful and stunning diamond ring at the right moment. Whichever route you choose, finding the right diamond in your price range is important. The round diamond is the most popular choice for engagement rings due to its timeless beauty. Though it's expensive, it can be well worth the money.
Brilliant round cuts are usually one of the most pricey diamond cuts available. However, there are ways to offset this cost. One of the ways you can do this is by choosing a setting that makes your main diamond appear bigger than it actually is. Settings that have smaller diamonds surrounding the center stone give the illusion that the main diamond is bigger, because of the additional sparkle. The three-stone or halo settings are popular for this reason, as you can get a smaller center diamond and save a lot of money.
Another way to offset the cost of a brilliant round-cut diamond is opting for lower grades in color and clarity. As long as you focus on getting a high cut grade, the diamond will retain its brilliance and beauty. Lower grades in color and clarity are often not noticeable by the human eye in round-cut diamonds but are significantly lower in price.
Anniversary Gifts
Many people choose to get an additional diamond ring to mark a special anniversary. Round diamonds are popular for anniversary gifts due to their brilliance and versatility. For this type of ring, many couples choose to opt for a versatile yet beautiful band to stack with the engagement ring and wedding band.
One of the most popular ring options for anniversary gifts is the eternity band. With this type of ring, diamonds are placed all around the band signifying the eternal nature of the couple's love. This tasteful setting when paired with small round-cut diamonds is perfect to stack with existing rings, as the brilliance of the tiny stones adds beauty, but doesn't take away from the center stone.
However, other couples choose to wear an anniversary ring on the opposite hand. So choosing a ring that will blend the other two rings isn't a priority. For this option, some couples choose an elaborate or solitaire diamond ring.
Birthday Gifts
Round-cut diamonds are great for other types of jewelry as well. If you're looking for a birthday gift for your significant other, a pair of round-cut diamond earrings is a great option. They are a timeless and classic option that won't go out of style. Also, round-cut diamond earrings go with a variety of styles, so you won't have to worry too much about picking an option that suits their taste.
Just like with rings, you should carefully consider and prioritize the 4Cs to remain within budget.
Round diamonds have been the most popular cut of diamonds for a while, and for good reason. Their superior brilliance makes them stand apart from other types of diamond cuts. Picking out a brilliant round-cut diamond is easy due to their sparkle and beauty. As long as you focus on the cut grade, you'll be able to find the perfect diamond to give to someone you love. There are also a lot of different settings that look great with the round-cut diamond, as they are incredibly versatile. From a classic solitaire to a modern tension setting, round cuts look great in a variety of styles. We have a large selection of different round-cut diamonds at varying price points. We also have customizable options, as well as premade rings available.