Asscher Cut

• Asscher Cut - image designed by author
  
  The Asscher Brothers, a Dutch firm, developed this cut in the early 1900s. Its features include deeply cut edges and wide, stepped facets that mesmerize focus on the stone's concentric squares from outer to inner facets that are each reduced in size from the largest, top-most table facet.
  
  

Cushion Cut - Emerald Cut

• Cushion Cut - Emerald Cut - image designed by author
  
  A cushion cut is so named because its bottom-most point, the culet, is cut as a separate facet, whereas on most other shapes, the culet is meant to come to a perfect point without any hint of blunt-endedness. This gives a look of great depth to the shape of the stone, and while popular in the early 1800s, its popularity faded, but has lately been revived due to refined cutting techniques and the depth given to this shape when cut and polished.
  
  Similar to the Asscher cut, the emerald cut has clipped corner facets and wide, flat, level surfaces. Originally applied to emeralds, this cut became popular for diamonds, too, but does not quite show the degree of depth of the cushion cut diamond..
  
  

Heart Cut

• Heart Cut - image designed by author
  
  The heart cut calls for very sophisticated and exact symmetric degrees in order to make the two upper lobes of the Heart shape appear identical in size. Heart-shaped diamonds generally depend on the dictates of the uncut stone and its dimensions.
  
  

Marquise Cut

• Marquise Cut - Trillion Cut - image designed by author
  
  The marquise cut is an elongated form of the brilliant cut. Allegedly, Louis XIV commissioned the first marquise cut diamond. This shape's girdle or widest point from side to side and end to end is boat shaped.
  
  A trillion/trilliant cut stone was first developed in Amsterdam. It has a total of 44 facets, and is frequently used for accent or side stones, but can make an impressive solitaire, as well.
  
  

Oval Cut - Pear/Drop Cut

• Oval Cut - Pear/Drop Cut - image designed by author
  
  Oval cuts have eight pavilion main facets and are a type of brilliant cut. This cut tends to make the wearer's fingers appear longer and less stubby.
  
  The pear or drop shaped cut has eight main facets. It resembles a dewdrop or fresh drop of rain.
  
  

Princess Cut

• Princess Cut - image designed by author
  
  The princess cut has the unique properties of the brilliance of a round cut, but formatted in a square. In addition to being popular as a cut for white diamonds, it is favored for fancy colored diamonds, too.
  
  

Round Cut - Radiant Cut

• Round - Radiant Cut - image designed by author
  
  The round cut, the most popular of all diamond shapes was first introduced in the 17th century, but has had several enhancing design iterations since its inception. Marcel Tolkowsky designed today's round cut in 1919. The round cut diamond, whether one-tenth of one carat in size, or two carats in size, has 57 facets, each being proportional to the size of the diamond. This must be a challenge for the diamond cutter faced with putting 57 individual facets on a stone of two millimeter's width.
  
  The radiant cut gives the appearance of having great depth. It combines the properties of the emerald cut with the dazzle of a round brilliant cut.