What Makes Square Shaped Diamonds Special?
Yes, square shaped diamonds. They’re what many of us want when we think of buying a piece of diamond jewellery that does not have the most commonly used diamond share – the brilliant round shape.
But when you ask a jeweller for a square shaped diamond, unless she is very polite and is on top of her game, she is going to look at you with a blank gaze and ask, ‘what type of square diamond?’
Unhelpful, possibly, but is that a silly answer? No, because there is not a square diamond, or at least, not just one. There’s a host of different types of diamond that look square(ish) in shape. How about square-square, rounded squares, rectangular squares, and even octagonal squares. What’s worse, none of these is called a ‘Square Cut Diamond.
But don’t let all these different types of square diamond put you off in your quest for the beautiful and slightly unusual!
Here is our guide to square diamonds, the different types, their names and what makes each one special. When you have finished reading, you will know what to look out for and why you find a particular type of square diamond more attractive.
This article covers only the nearly square diamond shapes, but we will mention the rectangular diamond shapes for context and explore those in a separate article.
Why Are You Interested In Square Shaped Diamond Jewellery?
First, let’s look at why you’re looking for something a little different. Around 70% of all diamonds sold in diamond jewellery are a single shape – the Round Brilliant. So much so that the shape practically defines what a diamond looks like for most people. Round Brilliant diamonds are excellent; they maximise the sparkle and fire of a diamond making even small gems give a spectacular show on the finger, on the ear, wrists or around the neck.
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When you look at a square shaped diamond, you are already special, individual, and that’s great. Now, all we need to share is how each square(ish) shape can satisfy your desire for something a little unusual, unique, and characterful.
Square shaped diamonds can offer better value than round diamonds; on a carat-by-carat basis, square shaped diamonds are usually less costly than Round Brilliant diamonds, that’s primarily a product of supply and demand. So, by choosing a square shaped diamond as the centrepiece of your next diamond jewellery purchase, you may be able to save money or buy a larger diamond within your budget.
You get more versatility with a square shaped diamond. Here’s why, a round diamond is always, well, round; no matter how you turn it, the appearance is the same. Our jewellery designers can create different effects and styles by tuning the diamond through 45 degrees to give a different, unique look. In smaller stones, squares can be laid out very close to each other, giving the effect of an impressive field of diamonds that looks much more than it really is.
What Are The Square Diamond Types And Shapes You Can Choose?
The ‘Real’ Square Diamond – Princess-Cut
First, let us look at the only diamond shape that is actually a real square, the Princess-Cut diamond.
The Princess-Cut is the only square shaped diamond with corners. If you want the sparkle of a Round Brilliant cut diamond, this has to be the choice as it shares the faceting of the Round Brilliant cut. You get a modern, sharp styling but with the fire and sparkle of the more common round diamond. You get the best of both worlds in a Princess-Cut diamond.
Of course, when you buy a square diamond, you want it to be square, and that’s not a given! Sometimes for reasons of economy or quality, a Princess-Cut diamond might not be cut properly square, so look out for a diamond with a length to width ratio of 1:1; that is, the length and width are exactly the same - square! But, given that diamonds are natural products cut by hand, be willing to choose diamonds falling into the range of 0.98 to 1.02. That’s close enough to look perfect even under close inspection.
Cushion-Cut Diamonds, The Softer Square
If the look of a Princess-Cut is a little too hard-edged for you, then the cushion cut might be the choice for you. Shaped like a throw cushion on your sofa, you get slightly curved sides and rounded corners. The appearance is definitely square but softer. If a diamond could ever be called ‘plump’, then this is it!
This diamond shape was introduced around 100 years ago, and buyers today, just as back then, love it for its romance and the way it makes many of us feel softer emotions when we see the Cushion-Cut.
Because the Cushion-Cut has large facets, you do not get the sparkle of a brilliant-cut, but that feeds into the softness of the gem as a whole and has its own charm that owners love. One thing to look out for, the facets on the diamond are akin to a window into the gem, and the Cushion-Cut has large windows, so be prepared to up your standards in terms of colour and clarity grades. However, the choice of precious metal can overcome colour issues at a given budget, and careful selection of the diamond itself and setting can alleviate the problems of internal flaws.
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The Brand-Name Square Diamond – The Asscher-Cut Diamond
The Asscher-Cut shape can be thought of as a cross between the Princess and Cushion shapes. This is all straight lines, but the corners are cut to give a shape that is technically an octagon, but it looks square to most eyes, especially when mounted using prongs on the corners!
The step cut faceting gives a geometric, almost vintage effect. Of course, this cut is often found in vintage designs. The overall effect is striking and will turn heads for its beauty and unique appearance.
The design was popularised after World War one and through the Art-Deco movement. It was designed and patented by the Royal Asscher Diamond Company of the Netherlands. Now, out of patent, any diamond cutter can use this design or variants of it.
The design of this shape gives a different appearance to brilliant-cut diamonds with less of a sustained sparkle and more of a flashing effect as the light hits the facets ’just so’.
If you fall for this shape of diamond, look out for jewellery that mounts the diamond at the corners because this will maximise light transmission through the gemstone and hides the cropped corners making the diamond look like an actual square.
The ‘Almost Square’ Diamond Shapes
These diamond shapes are sometimes thought of as square, but no, not really.
Emerald-Cut diamonds are rectangular and look like the traditional shape of emeralds, just white because they are diamonds.
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Radiant-Cut diamonds, also rectangular, have a complex shape with step cuts like an Asscher overlaid with brilliant style facets of the Princess-Cut.
At All Diamond, you can find examples of square shaped diamonds in our various collections. Just add the type of diamond to the search box to see and fall in love with examples of each shape our design team has used in rings, bracelets, earrings, and necklaces. Take a moment or two to see just why a square-shaped diamond can be an excellent choice for your next diamond jewellery purchase, and now you know just what to ask for!
