Round Diamond Rings
Circles are one of the most basic shapes ever created. It is an unending loop, flowing from one point to another without obstructions or hitches, always at a consistent angle. The round shape of circles helps create a sense of stability, a trait that has been optimized by several legends and myths such as the Ouroboros.
As such, circles are used in a myriad of things, even jewellery. In fact, round jewellery has been around for a long time. Some are even natural: pearls, for instance, are round when freshly pried from their mollusks (although some are not and require polishing).
Round shapes can be used for any type of diamond, provided the raw gem is big enough to shape into a decent-sized round diamond in the end. They are particularly pleasing as they are known to be brilliant and sparkly, even though this also depends on the style with which they are cut. Their shape also plays a part in deciding how light reflects and refracts within them, after all.
Suitable cuts
There are five cuts normally used to cut round diamonds, and they are the single cut, Swiss cut, rose cut, early brilliant cut, and the modern brilliant cut. The modern brilliant cut is the most popular one today, but as you might be able to glean from its name, it has only rather recently come to be as a variation of its predecessor. Here are some differences between the cuts.
Early brilliant vs modern brilliant
So what differentiates the modern brilliant cut from its early brilliant predecessor? That would be the invention of – or rather, the idea of – an ‘ideal’ cut, which includes the calculation of angles rather than simply polishing a gem until it shines. Early brilliant cut diamonds are considered sloppy work by today’s standards, but they are nevertheless sought after by collectors for their historical value.
Modern brilliant cut round diamonds also lack the culet, or a facet at the bottom of the diamond meant to prevent chipping of the pavilion point, but some of them have it minutely. On the other hand, early brilliant cuts have large culets. The culet usually refers to the 58th facet of a round diamond, as 58 is the usual number of facet is has, although today there are several variations that sees round diamonds sporting as many as 112 facets.
Rose cut
The rose cut is as beautiful as it sounds; sadly, its popularity as a cut for diamond ring stones – or jewellery in general – is withering, and today it is wanted only to repair antiques, or for melee diamonds. The rose cut is centuries old, but it is not the oldest. It was created and developed during the rush to create the ‘ideal’ cut. It was developed in India, and early versions were basically in the shape of crowns without pavilions. Most interestingly, they were not symmetrical despite the human populace’s large preference for octahedral diamonds. The general crown-without-pavilion shape is still preserved today: modern rose cut diamonds look almost accidentally cut upside down, since they peak at their crowns with various angled facets that form a dome then flatten at the base.
Easily available
The main reason round diamond rings are so popular is because they are so easily available. Every jewellery shop that stocks diamond rings is bound to have them. And if you happen to be visiting bigger jewellery shops, you will be spoilt for choice. You can choose from a wide array of round diamond rings, whilst your choices will be comparatively limited if you prefer one of a different shape, such as pear.
This demand is, in short, due to sufficient supply, which ironically enough stemmed from a healthy demand. So rest assured that round diamond rings are here to stay as long as you continue to support them – perhaps longer, if it shares a fate that is anything like the rose cut’s.
Custom-made
What can be more heartfelt than a gift that is designed yourself? In fact, some jewelers offer this option to consumers. They can choose the type of diamond, the cut, and even the metal of the ring and discuss it with the jeweler. If both parties are satisfied, the jeweler will work on the diamond ring and presto! You get a custom-made round diamond ring. It’s as simple as that.
However, you should keep an open mind when giving and receiving suggestions because sometimes the design you have in mind might not fit your partner (or yourself), and the jeweler is a master at what he or she does and should know better than you. Bringing printed references of the parts you like, such as the cut of one diamond, the setting of another and the color of a third would help both of you visualize what you want, rather than keeping it at guesswork which can be fickle at best.
Gender-neutral
Perhaps one of the best traits of round diamond rings is that it can be worn by both men and women without looking out of place. They are neither too flashy nor too obscure: the perfect blend between the social norms for both sexes.
This unisex quality is also one of the reasons why round diamond rings remain so popular today. Women can buy the rings for men, and men can buy them for their women. They would make perfect engagement rings if the couple wishes to wear similar rings without evoking any social stigma.
Conclusion
The round diamond ring is classic, yet modern; old, yet new; generic, yet varied. This makes it suitable for many types of people and is thus an easier choice to make when buying a ring for others. That dilemma does not always arise when you are buying a ring for yourself. After all, you need not worry about whether others will like it; it is your opinion that matters, so the task is as simple as popping into a jewellery shop to look at their wares and see if there are any you like.
After all, they say that it is the diamond that chooses you; it is not you who chooses the diamond. So just choose the one that leaps out at you, see if it fits, and if it is within your budget, by all means get it if you so wish.