Round diamonds are the most common and sought-after diamond shape in the world. We stated that diamonds are polished into a variety of shapes and that the choice of shape is mostly one of taste, best use of the pre-polished rough diamond, and, occasionally, color. Historically, diamonds were polished only into rounds, and for good reason.
The Christmas Star
The Christmas Star was commissioned by De Beers and placed on top of their 1994 Christmas tree, which toured 20 cities in Japan and was seen around the world on television including CNN.
It was developed in order to provide retailers an alternative marketing concept that would allow diamonds to be used in decorative pieces for the home, as opposed to jewelry. It is also one of the earliest examples of a branded diamond, first cut and polished by Fancoldi in Israel.
Oval-shaped diamonds are another member of the semi-round diamond shapes - those that are based on the round brilliant, but with a twist. Unlike the Pear-shape, discussed last week, which is half of a round on one end and a Marquee on the other, the oval is a somewhat elongated round as the name suggests, which gives it the appearance of larger than it really is.
When considering diamond shapes, Pear-shaped goods are quite a popular shape in the Far East, but one of the least popular diamond shapes in the US consumer market. That is unfortunate because they are one of the best-looking diamond shapes, and they provide a surprisingly good value.
Diamonds are polished into a variety of shapes. The choice of shape is mostly one of taste, best use of the pre-polished rough diamond, and, at times, color. Most call a diamond's shape "cut." However, since January 2006, the term "cut" has referred to the proportions of the diamond, its Cut Grade, and the term "shape" has since been the term for the form or contour of diamonds.