Five Most Affordable Diamond Shapes
Five Most Affordable Diamond Shapes
So you want a beautiful ring, but don't want to spend too much unnecessarily. Or, maybe you want to maximize your budget and get the biggest and best diamond possible. Lucky for you, there are various ways to get the best price for your engagement ring without skimping out on its quality.
Why is quality important when discussing affordability? Because choosing between a Round diamond and a Cushion diamond is not the same as choosing between a Nissan and a Cadillac. It's more like choosing between a Black Cadillac and a Red Cadillac, but the red one is 25% cheaper. With that in mind, let's look at the five most affordable diamond shapes and what makes them unique.
We've included a selection of James Allen diamonds to illustrate this price discrepancy. Each of these diamonds is roughly 2-Carat, F-Color, VVS2-Clarity with an Ideal-Cut. You'll notice that while specific shapes are typically a certain percentage less than a Round Diamond, market pricing can change seasonally and annually. Most importantly, though, a diligent shopper can usually find a comparable diamond for sometimes thousands less than the average. That's where having a knowledgable "Ring Adviser" can prove invaluable.
Asscher (on average 17% less than a Round Diamond): An Asscher diamond looks like a squared-off Emerald with each corner cropped at an angle. The cropping creates an almost octagonal shape. The shape has a very Art Deco feel and works well for women with slender fingers.
Oval (on average 18% less than a Round Diamond): Oval diamonds represent some of the most iconic diamonds throughout history. Their sparkle and brilliance are almost on par with an Ideal Round diamond. The shape, though, lends itself to maximizing the usable material in a raw diamond. As such, a diamond cutter will experience less waste while the buyer can reap the financial benefits.
Radiant (on average 19% less than a Round Diamond): While an Asscher diamond looks like an Emerald with cropped corners, the Radiant shape looks like a Princess with cropped corners. This shape is more affordable than an Asscher as people prefer the longer shape over the square shape. That being said, the square dimensions of a Radiant diamond will offer greater brilliance than its oblong counterparts.
Emerald (on average 24% less than a Round Diamond): Emerald cuts, as their name suggests, are inspired by the shape of Emeralds. Unfortunately, this connotation is also their hindrance, as people do not associate diamonds with such a rectangular step-cut. As such, demand is relatively low for Emerald cut diamonds, which means significant savings can be found. As an added benefit, an Emerald cut diamond looks 5% larger than a Round diamond.
Cushion (on average 26% less than a Round Diamond): The Cushion shape takes an Emerald or Princess diamond and softens its corners even more. Thus, the Cushion name. The benefit is that cutters can genuinely maximize the raw diamond to create Cushion cuts. Be careful, though, as finding a truly spectacular Cushion diamond can be challenging, as those stones are usually used for the higher-priced shapes. Regardless, the Cushion is an elegant and stunning diamond, and the opportunity to find a stunning example is easily within your grasp.
Use what you have at your disposal
So there are the top-5 Most Affordable diamond shapes. Remember, these are more affordable because they are either easier to make, maximize the raw diamond, or have less demand. You can get a diamond as beautiful and stunning in these shapes as you can a Round or Heart shape. Plus, if you appreciate the uniqueness of these shapes, the fact that you can get a better quality diamond for the same price makes them more attractive.
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