One of the most amazing things about the diamond is the versatility of this stone. Diamonds are the hardest stone you can find on earth. The hardness allows cutters to create a huge range of shapes, styles, and looks. Each cut and shape creates a unique look and feel. The amount of brilliance and shine of the diamond widely varies among cuts.
Light refraction is dependant on the number of cuts and the shape of the facets. This light refraction causes shine, glitter, and sparkle. Gem cutters create new shapes and cuts on a regular basis. Since the stone is so hard, the diamond can take on a limitless number of shapes and cuts.
With the advent of computer modeling programs, gem cutters have the ability to test out potential designs before ever cutting into a stone. This gives them an idea as to whether their idea will work and what the finished product will look like. The ability to model on computers, rather than trial and error on precious gemstones, allows cutters to try new and innovative ideas without the risk.
Personal Style
Jewelry says a lot of things about a person. A ring tells us if someone is married or not. The style and quality of jewelry tell us a lot about someone’s status and place in society. But more than anything, one’s choice in jewelry is an expression of our personal style.
Jewelry says a lot about our style and who we are. This is true whether the piece is meant for daily wear or a special occasion. It can show others things about our personality.
Say, for example, you have a sparkly, larger-than-life personality. In this case, it would make sense to choose bold, sparkly, and unique pieces that illustrate who you are as a person. The thing with uniquely shaped diamonds is that they do this very well.
Choosing one of the more unique shapes of diamonds also helps to ensure that you aren’t going to have the same piece of jewelry as everyone else. A diamond with a unique cut or shape is something that catches the eye and stands out as something different.
There truly is a huge range of different cuts and styles to choose from. A uniquely shaped diamond shows your personal style and represents your personality. Whether you choose a named cut or have someone create something truly unique to you, you can be sure it is one-of-a-kind.
The Sky is the Limit
One of the most amazing things about the diamond is its versatility. This stone is incredibly hard and durable. This makes it suitable for a wide range of cut and facet arrangements. Since jewelers have worked with this precious stone, they have continued to come up with unique new configurations that create stunning new looks.
As we noted earlier, advances in computer modeling technologies have greatly improved our ability to create truly unique cuts and shapes. This software allows gem cutters and jewelers to model out their ideas without having to cut into an expensive, rare stone.
This allows for a lot more creativity as the risk of making a mistake is minimal. If the plan doesn’t work, the gem cutter only loses time, not precious stones. Gem cutters try all sorts of different things to come up with unique shapes and cuts that make for one-of-a-kind pieces.
Those styles that are successful and of good design will often be passed to other jewelers. A shared style is one that is often given a name. Many cuts never end up named. Complicated techniques or an end result that is just too strange is likely to remain unnamed.
Named cuts and shapes need not restrain us. The different techniques and configurations possible mean we don’t have to go with an already existing cut. If someone really wants something unlike anything made before, computer modeling programs provide the tools that make this a feasible endeavor.
Some Unique Shapes
A gemstone cut is either named or unnamed. Often called no-name cuts, these are unique cuts that simply never receive a name. Some of the no-name cuts are completely unique and one-of-a-kind. This means that the stone in question is the only one of its kind in existence.
Professional organizations set standards for all named cuts. This is true even if they are cuts that jewelers don’t typically use. Let’s take a look at some popular named unique cuts.
Carre Cut
The Carre cut is a special shape. Jewelers use it on only the highest quality gemstones. Carre-cut is a variation of the traditional step-cut. A step-cut will bring out any flaws within the stone. This cut tends to bring out any flaws within the stone. For this reason, jewelers use only the best stones available.
The stone is square-cut with stepped and angled corners. A lot of vintage jewelry uses this technique. Jewelers will also use this technique to create a vintage look. It creates a uniquely sparkly luster that shows the intense clarity and sparkle of the stone.
A Carre cut may be offset with smaller diamonds in different shapes. This brings the eye to the central stone and adds additional sparkle and shine.
French Cut
The French cut dates back to the 1400s. This time-honored cut found popularity among French royals and aristocracy in the 1600s. The look and feel of the French cut stone is classic and sophisticated.
This cut looks, in many ways, similar to a princess cut diamond, but it is not the same. Jewelers use this cut for square or rectangular stones. The pattern on the crown facets defines this style. It has a streamlined and elegant look and feel.
This cut is popular for those who enjoy a modern, minimalist, or Art Deco style. It is highly popular with those who like vintage-inspired jewelry and is a sleek and elegant cut that pairs well with many other types of jewelry. This cut is popular for rings.
Bullet Cut
Jewelers often use the bullet cut as an accent piece in rings, necklaces, and other pieces of jewelry. The name comes from the unique shape of the bullet-cut diamond.
It has three sides with lines forming part of a square. There is a sharp-pointed edge making up the fourth edge of this cut. Bullet cut diamonds will usually be step-cut or brilliant-cut.
Trilliant Cut
The trilliant cut is a triangular-shaped gemstone. This cut is also called a trillion or trillian, depending on the jeweler. This unique cut is also a brilliant-cut stone. Brilliant cut stones sparkle and glimmer in the sunlight and have advanced light refraction properties.
Gem cutters use curved or straight edges on trilliant cut stones. Jewelers call the curved style trillions. They call straight-sided stones trilliants. This is a relatively new technique, developed by the famous Asscher brothers in Amsterdam.
This stone often flanks a center stone. Jewelers use this as a centerpiece in rings, necklaces, and other pieces of jewelry.
Trapezoid Cut
The trapezoid cut is incredibly unique. This is a four-sided stone. The top and bottom of the stone are parallel. The other sides slant up and in. Gem cutters use these stones to flank central stones in many pieces of jewelry like rings and necklaces.
Trapezoid cut diamonds aren’t typically used as a central stone in jewelry. Jewelers usually use this cut as accent pieces that set off a larger central stone.
Trapezoid cut diamonds may be step-cut, giving the stone more depth. The stones may also be brilliant-cut, which gives them greater light refraction properties, so the finished stone glimmers and shines more.
Half-Moon Cut
The half-moon diamond looks like an oval that is cut in half. One side of the diamond is straight and the other side curved. This technique, developed in the 1920s, is still in use by today’s jewelers and gem cutters.
The standards for this stone are pretty rigid but you can also find elongated stones, which have a truly unique and stunning look. Jewelers use these elongated stones on their own for unique pieces such as necklaces or bracelets.
We typically see half-moon stones in pairs. Jewelers use these stones as accent stones that set off a larger central stone.
Baguette Cut
The baguette is one of the most elegant and classic of all uniquely shaped diamonds. The technique for the baguette cut goes back to the 16th century. Jewelers of the time called this cut an ‘elongated table cut.’
The baguette is a rectangular stone that has clean, sleek lines and creates a simple, sophisticated, and understated piece of jewelry. The geometric look of a baguette-cut stone creates a shine and elegance that is the centerpiece of many rings.
Baguette is a French word for a long, rectangular loaf of bread and this is where this cut gets its name. The baguette cut is a rectangular step cut. 14 facets are used in a standard baguette diamond. This leaves a large, open table at the center, which creates the appearance of depth.
Unlike the emerald cut diamond, which many think is similar, baguettes use angled, unbeveled corners. Emerald cut diamonds use cut corners and baguettes do not.
This cut never goes out of style and has been popular since it was first introduced. During the Art Deco period, the baguette saw a dramatic resurgence in popularity and many love the streamlined, classic, elegant look and feel of this cut.
Tapered Baguette
Within this special cut is a specialty cut called a tapered baguette. This cut features a trapezoidal shape. The ends of the stone taper so that one end is shorter than the other. This creates a uniquely shaped stone that works well as an accent, framing a larger central stone.
In Closing
Jewelry is unique. The pieces we choose say a lot about our personality and our style. People see what we look like before they ever learn anything about us. This first impression goes a long way towards the formation of opinions.
With all this in mind, it is easy to see why someone wants a piece of jewelry that truly fits their style, their personality and says something about them desirable. Diamonds continue to be a style and status statement that is popular in all kinds of jewelry.
The great thing about diamonds – aside from the stunning look of the stone itself – is how versatile the stone is. The diamond is the hardest stone we know of. This gives gem cutters and jewelers a lot of leeway for creativity when working with these stones. The hardness of the stone makes it suitable to take a huge range of different cuts and facets. Unique cuts and configurations gem cutters pass along often end up with names.
Named Stones and Standards
There are a number of uniquely shaped diamonds that are named with strict standards defining the number of type of facets used in the cut. Even though there are standards associated with the cut doesn’t mean that the cut isn’t rare. These unique shapes may have names, but jewelers don’t use these cuts on a regular basis. You don’t see them often in mass-produced jewelry. Choosing one of these cuts gives you a truly stunning and unique-looking piece.
Here, we look at some of the unique diamond shapes that have names and standards associated with the cut. Use these as accent stones or centerpieces of a piece of jewelry to create stunning pieces that easily become part of your signature look. You can also work with a gem cutter directly to create a one-of-a-kind stone using modeling software.
Whatever you choose, keep in mind just how many choices you have when it comes to the shape of the diamond you ultimately choose. A combination of different styles is also a way to create a unique piece that perfectly fits your style and personality.
A unique ring, necklace, bracelet, or another piece of jewelry is a great way to create a signature look or to have an eye-catching piece you wear on special occasions.
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