Round Diamond - Every Buyer Must Know!
This is the most popular cut and also the sparkliest of all diamond shapes. Round diamonds are traditionally the first and most popular diamond that’s given as a symbol of commitment.
They have a classic uniform and symmetrical shape that consists of 58 facets, which qualifies them a brilliant cut. The faceting on round cut diamonds also makes color and inclusions appear better than in other fancy shapes.
Most of the rough diamond is lost when cutting and therefore round diamonds are slightly more expensive than other diamond shapes.
Over 75% of diamond engagement rings sold are round cuts. Available in many sizes, the round suits all hand sizes and shapes, because it always looks proportionate and does not overpower the finger.
A Little History
Society’s love for round cut diamonds is nothing new—in fact, round diamonds with various faceting patterns have been seen from the earliest days of human’s fascination with the stone. One notable example being the famed Orloff Diamond of the Diamond Treasury of Russia. The shape began increasing in popularity around 1919. It was in this year that Marcel Tolkowsky published a thesis entitled “Diamond Design: A Study of the Reflection and Refraction of Light in Diamond.” In this work, Tolkowsy discussed how to cut a diamond using specific angles and proportions to maximize its brilliance. The result was a round diamond, and his computations are used to this day, with modest adjustments to account for new cutting technology.
Today, round cut diamonds are even more brilliant and beautiful than Tolkowsky was able to achieve.
Most round diamonds use his brilliant-cut faceting design with 58 triangular or kite shaped facets that radiate outwards from the center.
However, round cut diamonds with no culet, when the bottom of the diamond forms a small pointed area, only have 57 facets.
Ideal depth and table for round diamonds
First Know, What is table and Depth
Table : the table is the name for the largest facet of the diamond found on the very top surface, so called because it is flat like a table. Tables are measured in percentages. Dividing the width of the table by the overall width of the diamond, you can find the table percentage.
However, the most ideal table percentages are between 60 and 54 percent. At this proportion, the table is large enough to allow light to enter the stone at the correct angles to reflect and refract off the smaller facets below. Any larger or smaller and the light entering the stone doesn’t hit the ideal angles for maximum fire and brilliance.
Depth : the depth is the distance from the table to the culet, or point, of the diamond. When discussing depth in terms of cut quality, it is described in percentages, like the table. To find the depth percentage, divide the diamond’s physical depth measurement by its width. Also, depth is deemed acceptable within a certain range, with any value between 56.5 and 65 percent considered good. However, the ideal depth is between 62.9 and 59.5 percent.
For those of us also looking to get the largest size out of a diamond, depth matters in terms of where the weight of the stone is located. The lower the depth, the larger the diamond will appear when viewed from above, as more of the weight is located in the crown, or top, of the diamond. Because of this, some people prefer to stay on the lower end of the ideal range, looking for depth percentages between 59 and 60 percent.
Round Cut Diamond Price
Round diamonds tend to be a bit pricier than other shapes Diamond Because of Two Reason:
Demand : Round diamonds are the most popular and so manufacturers and suppliers tend to hold a premium on them because their demand can make them rarer. Because diamonds are a natural material, they cannot just be produced on a moment’s notice.
Rough Wastage : when a rough diamond is mined it comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. There is no predictability around what size or shape will be unearthed. More often than not, the shape of the rough isn’t perfect for cutting a round diamond. A diamond cutter’s top priority is to maximize carat weight. Round diamonds yield the highest rough wastage and top out between 28% - 38% rough usage, which means more of that precious raw material is going to waste.
Round diamonds tend to be a bit pricier than other shapes of the same size and quality. However, because of their cut, round diamonds also look the biggest of diamonds with the same carat. The exact price difference will vary depending on the color, carat and clarity, however, they can often be about 25-35% more expensive than other diamond shapes of the same size and quality.
Your Round Cut Centerpiece
Round diamonds have endured for hundreds of years, and the round brilliant cut remains the top choice for engagement rings. The brilliance and fire elicited from the many facets of the cut allow the round brilliant to work in every setting type—from solitaires to diamond bedecked halos. Round brilliant cuts are show-stopping stones that remain versatile, stylish and allow for minor imperfections to be masked by distracting fire and scintillation. Select a round brilliant diamond as the centerpiece stone for your engagement ring and indulge in timeless brilliance.
