Ultimately, when compared to fancy shaped diamonds of the same carat weight, round brilliants seem smaller.

Primarily, round diamonds appear smaller because of their depth ratio. The depth of a diamond is the measurement from its table (the top surface that you see when looking straight down at a diamond) to the culet (or bottom point of the diamond). Round diamonds have a higher depth ratio than other types of fancy shaped diamonds, like ovals or Marquises. As a result, more of their carat weight is distributed below their table, so they appear smaller when viewed from the top.

Round cut diamonds also have a symmetrical shape with rounded edges and soft circular outline; it's not elongated like other shapes. This creates the perception of a smaller size when compared to other diamonds.

Of course, keep in mind that chosen size is influenced by personal preferences and subjectivity. Many people want the classic, demure look of a smaller round brilliant diamond, and if that's you, then great! If you want something with more flashiness, then you may want to steer away from a round brilliant cut.

If you want your round brilliant diamond to rival the perceived size of any fancy shaped diamond there are a few tricks to employ. First, consider halos. A halo is a diamond-shaped piece of additional stone that sits around your stone’s center point (you know, like a halo). It creates a larger appearance and makes the diamond look like it has more facets than it actually does.

You can’t get more classic than a round brilliant. Round brilliant diamonds the most popular lab grown or natural diamonds on the market.

Admirers love the characteristic extreme brilliance and fire that the round brilliants emit. These diamonds, whether sourced from a mine or created in a laboratory, undergo a meticulous transformation through cutting and polishing to embody the iconic round brilliant shape and facets. This particular cut is celebrated for its ability to showcase the diamond's inherent beauty and maximize its brilliance.

The round brilliant diamond is the most popular cut in today's diamond market. Its enduring popularity can be attributed to the mesmerizing brilliant sparkle and the timeless sophistication. The cut comprises precisely arranged facets – 57 or 58 in total – including a table, crown, girdle, and pavilion, each playing a crucial role in enhancing the stone's visual allure.

What sets round brilliant diamonds apart is the exceptional play of light they exhibit. The facets are strategically angled to optimize the reflection and refraction of light within the diamond, resulting in unmatched brilliance and fire. This characteristic glow, unique to round brilliants, adds beauty to any jewelry piece they adorn.

Surprisingly, not all round diamonds are brilliant cut. This is because the brilliant part of the round brilliant refers to the type of faceting the diamond contains. And while most round diamonds are round brilliants, there are various faceting patterns that can create a non-brilliant round diamond-like old European and rose cut diamonds.

Old European Round Diamonds : The precursor to the round brilliant. These diamonds were perfected and gained popularity from the late 19th to the early 20th centuries. They were created by modifying their parent cut, the old mine cut, to be less square and more round.

Old Europeans were originally cut by hand when candlelight was the only means of lighting during dark hours. Old Europeans retain more cut imperfections (due to the manual cutting process versus machine cutting), and second, because of this, old Europeans offer a more color-forward, rainbow sparkle. Today, old European diamonds are beloved by the off-beat and vintage-loving brides who love the shape of the round brilliant with the soft-flickering romanticism of the old European.

Rose Cut Round Diamonds: If the old European cut diamond is considered the parent of the modern day round brilliant, then the rose cut could be considered the grandparent. The rose cut originated before the old European around the 16th century. Inspired by the petals of a rose, rose cut diamonds have a distinctive faceting pattern with no pavilion. And because of this, light that enters the diamond has nowhere to go but out the bottom. As a result, they don’t sparkle like round brilliants. But what they lack in sparkle, they make up for in vintage and romantic appeal. If you ""don't like diamonds"" (gasp!), the rose cut may be your way in to diamonds.

If you’re looking for your dream round brilliant diamond then just be prepared to spend a little more money. On average, round brilliant diamonds cost 10-30% more than fancy cut diamonds.

The reason is because round brilliant diamonds create the most diamond waste. Every cut diamond starts life out as a rough diamond. Diamond cutters assess the rough diamond and based on various factors such as clarity, size, and color, determine what shape the rough diamond is best suited for. Different diamond shapes utilize different amounts of rough diamond. For example, an oval diamond can be cut without leaving many unusable rough diamond scraps. The round diamond, however, is a different story and it can be very hard to reuse the diamond scraps created from cutting a round diamond, which, in turn, increases the price.

Additionally, round diamonds are, without a doubt, the most popular diamond shape for those looking to buy diamonds. Market demand will always drive prices, so as the demand for round diamonds increases, so does the price.

Finally, a third important factor to consider is how a round diamond is graded. Round diamonds are so beloved in the diamond industry (and so regulated) that the Gemological Institute of America has based their cut-grading system off of the round diamond completely. All of the fancy diamonds out there don’t actually receive the same cut grade as a round brilliant! And because round diamonds receive that extra accolade, it only makes sense that they also cost a little extra more.

A standard round diamond will have 57 or 58 angular spread across three main areas: The table, girdle, and pavilion.

When you look at your round diamond face-up, the first thing you might notice is a large flat facet on top called a table facet, which is responsible for gathering light from above and either reflecting it back out or directing it down into your round brilliant diamond. Around the table facet, there are 32 other facets and include: eight bezel, eight star, and sixteen upper half facets. All of these facets along with the table facet make up what is called the crown of your diamond.

Directly beneath the crown, separating the crown from the pavilion is the diamond’s girdle. The girdle encircles the outer edge (aka largest part) of the diamond. Usually, the girdle is what touches the setting on your engagement ring. Because of this, it’s best to rule out any round brilliant diamonds with a girdle rating of extremely thick or extremely thin. An extremely thick girdle will offer poor light return and an extremely thin girdle can chip.

The pavilion is essentially all of the diamond beneath the girdle, and it accounts for a big part of the overall sparkle of your diamond. Here, it is very important to pay attention to the depth of the pavilion. Why? Most of the light that your diamond catches will make its way into the pavilion of your round cut diamond. There, specific facets reflect the light back out, causing it to hit other facets on its way out thus producing the fire and brilliance that makes a round cut diamond so great. If your diamond has a very deep pavilion, the light entering will refract at a very low point (essentially getting lost) which diminishes overall brilliance.

Additionally, if your diamond’s pavilion is too shallow, the light will not bounce and will simply exit the diamond near the culet (the point on the diamond where the pavilion facets meet). To prevent this, it’s best to aim for a pavilion that is not too deep or shallow. Questions? Contact our expert diamond concierge. We can help walk you through any questions or concerns to ensure you find the round brilliant cut diamond of your dreams.