Diamond cuts from Lyppens jewellers

Diamond is the hardest natural material known to man. In its rough crystal form it looks like two pyramids stuck on top of each other. To get the diamond in its final shape the diamond cutter has to use a diamond laced saw to cut the diamond into the desired cut. Below is a summary of the different types of diamond cuts that Lyppens jewellers offer.

The Brilliant cut

The brilliant cut is by far the most popular diamond cut in the world. Approximately 75% of all diamonds worldwide are brilliant cut. The reason is because brilliant cut diamonds interact beautifully with light in a unique way.

The cut consists of exactly calculated angled and shaped facets that reflect light in two ways. Firstly, white light is completely internally reflected in the stone back to the viewer known as the brilliance effect and secondly some light is dispersed into its component colours known as its fire. The ratio between the brilliance and fire gives the diamond its unique play of colour. Change the angles or facets even slightly during cutting and this effect can partially or completely disappear.

Round brilliant diamonds have 57 facets. 33 facets on the top, known as the crown, and 24 facets on the bottom cone known as the pavilion. The edge separating the crown and pavilion, the widest part of a diamond, is known as its girdle. It is important to note that the brilliant cut loses approximately 50% of its weight when cut from rough, making it an expensive cut.

Old European cut

The old European cut diamond is the precursor to the brilliant cut diamond. The first variations were produced in the late 1700’s. These were typically cushion shaped and still resembled the double triangle shape of a rough diamond crystal. As cutting techniques and knowledge of light effects started to improve, we see beautiful examples being cut in the late 19th and early 20th century. In the 1960’s up to 1990’s many Old European cut diamonds were recut into brilliant cut diamonds. The last 20 years there has been a surge in demand for high quality old European cut diamonds.

Asscher Cut

The Asscher cut was designed in 1902 by the famous Dutch diamond cutter Joseph Assher who also cut the Cullinan diamonds (largest diamonds in the world) for the English royal family. The Assher cut is an almost octagonal shape with three facet rows on the top and three facet rows on the bottom. The cut has a very pleasant simplistic and symmetrical look to it and it produces a lot more brilliance than fire making it a little more modest and elegant than a lot of other diamond cuts. The family has also produced a modern version of the cut known as the Royal Asscher Cut. This cut has 5 facet rows on its pavilion instead of the traditional 3.

Radiant cut

The radiant cut is a squared to rectangular shaped cut without corners that uniquely combines two cutting styles, the brilliant cut facets in kite and triangular shape we know from the brilliant cut on its crown and the emerald step cut rows on its pavilion. The combination of these two cutting styles creates a diamond with both a lot of fire and brilliance.

Emerald cut

The emerald cut name comes from the gemstone emerald because this cut was extremely popular and practical for the emerald. Since this cut occurred so much in emeralds, the term emerald cut was coined and is now used for this cut regardless of the gemstone in question. The Emerald cut is also ideal for diamonds. It is a rectangular shape with rectangular long facets. This style of cut is known as the step cut, as the facets literally resemble steps. This cutting style maximises the brilliance effect and shows little fire. Emeralds typically have a large table and the rectangular facets in its pavilion play with light similar to the way mirrors placed opposite each other do.

Pear cut

The pear cut or the teardrop is a combination of the brilliant cut and the marquise cut. The kite and triangular facets give the stone a brilliance and fire that is similar to the round brilliant cut. The asymmetrical shape makes it a difficult cut to make due to its pointed edge but this point of a pear also has the effect of making the wearer's finger seem longer when worn as a solitaire making it an ideal alternative to a rounded or square cut. The pear is also very popular in necklaces or as a pair of pears in a Toi et Moi ring.

Princess cut

The princess cut is quite a modern cut only being available from the 1980’s. It is square and has pointed corners. The cutting style is brilliant and has great brilliance and fire and is only rivalled by the brilliant cut, making it a very popular choice as an engagement ring. Due to its shallow crown angle yellow tints are slightly more visible in the corners of princess cuts.

Heart cut

The heart cut is exactly as the name suggests, a diamond cut in the shape of a heart. It is quite a tricky cut to cut as it requires an experienced cutter who can master the exact proportions of the cut. The heart is commonly cut in the brilliant cut style with 57 or 58 facets but this can and does vary greatly from cutter to cutter. Apart from serving as a statement jewel for the engagement ring, heart shape diamonds also work extremely well in Toi et Moi rings, necklaces and earrings.

Cushion cut

Cushion cut diamonds are amongst the oldest diamond cuts. The basic shape is that of a slightly rounded square with soft rounded corners but also straight sides. The cut has been used in jewellery for the last 250 years. The cutting style has developed tremendously in that time and the modern cushion cuts are commonly cut with 58 facets in the brilliant cutting style. The shape of the cushion helps disperse light and modern cushions have a slightly stronger fire than round brilliant cut diamonds making them very lively and popular with engagement rings.

Oval cut

The oval cut diamond is cut in the brilliant cut style often with 58 facets and shows a similar brilliance and fire effect. Oval cut diamonds are an excellent option for anyone looking for a beautiful engagement ring but also wants something unique. The added bonus of the slightly elongated shape is that ovals tend to make the wearer's finger appear slightly longer and the oval shapes often appear slightly larger than they are due to its cutting style.

Marquise cut

The marquise cut diamond finds its roots in 18th century France during the rule of Louis XV. He wanted a diamond shape that resembles the lips of his lover Marquise de Pompadour. And ordered one to be cut by his court jewellers. Also known as a navette cut, the boat shaped cut is commonly cut in brilliant style. The marquise diamond is the ultimate way to give the appearance or compliment longer hands and it appears larger than it really is due to its ratio.

Trillion cut

The trillion-cut diamond is a triangular cut that due to its shape can capitalise on fire within the diamond. The trillion cut diamond is the perfect diamond for anyone looking for an especially unique diamond. The most common use for trillion cut diamonds is to compliment a central diamond as two side stones although it can also be used as a large central piece.