Diamond shape cost comparison

There are 10 shapes that are commonly used for engagement rings, and they all have their own advantages and disadvantages

• Some shapes look bigger than others
• Some shapes sparkle more than others
• And some shapes cost more than others

A diamond is a significant financial investment, and at Ringspo we want to help everyone get as much value as possible with theirs.

With that in mind, we’re going to compare the 10 most common shapes of diamond to see how changing the shape affects the price of diamond.

We’re going to compare 10 diamonds with the following specifications:

• 1 carat
• G color
• VS2 clarity
• Excellent cut (where applicable)

We’ve also included restrictions on some of the minor factors that need to be considered when buying a diamond e.g. polish, symmetry and fluorescence.

Diamond shape cost comparison

The table below ranks the different diamond shapes based on an average price at one of my recommended retailers.

Name	Shape	Price (USD)	Difference (USD)	Difference (%)
Round		$5,434	0	0
Oval		$4,180	-$1,254	-23.1%
Pear		$4,150	-$1,284	-23.6%
Princess:		$4,072	-$1,362	-25.1%
Marquise		$4,030	-$1,404	-25.8%
Heart		$4,028	-$1,406	-25.9%
Asscher		$3,650	-$1,784	-32.8%
Radiant:		$3,520	-$1,914	-35.2%
Emerald		$3,440	-$1,994	-36.7%
Cushion:		$3,240	-$2,194	-40.4%

Looking at the table, it’s obvious that there are some big differences in the amount that a diamond with identical ‘quality’ and carat weight can cost, depending on the shape.

Round brilliants are, by some margin, the most expensive.

Choosing any shape other than a round brilliant will give you at least a 30% saving for a 1 carat, G color diamond.

Something to note is that the exact saving possible will depend on the specs of the diamond that you are looking for, but there will always be significant differences between the shapes.

Why are there such big differences in diamond cost depending on the shape?

The price of a diamond depends on many factors

• The demand for that shape (round brilliants are the most popular)
• The difficulty in creating the shape
• The amount of rough diamond that needs to be discarded when creating the diamond (square-shaped diamonds are much closer in shape a rough diamond shape than a round diamond, which means a smaller rough diamond can be used)

How to get the most value with your diamond

The first part of making sure you get the most value is making sure you choose the right retailer.

Looking at one of the largest retailers in the US, they charge significantly more for a round brilliant diamond that matches the specs we used above.

In fact, it’s over twice as much as my recommended retailer.

You can see my list of recommended retailers here.

The next key to getting real value is making sure that you get a stone that performs like it should.

Key here is that the diamond looks the size that it is meant to.

One thing that many people get overly hung up on is carat weight, assuming that a higher carat weight looks larger.

This isn’t always the case.

Check out these two oval diamonds:

One is 0.3 carats heavier and costs $2,500 more.

But when we look at the dimensions of the two stones, we can see something very interesting:

The one carat diamond is significantly longer than the 1.3 carat diamond:

A 30% increase in price for a smaller stone is obviously not good value.

This may not be the shape that you’re looking for, but it’s a great example of how really knowing what to look for is key when buying a diamond.

Make sure you get the most value

Even with all of the information and tools available to help you choose your diamond, it can be hard to know which one to choose. After all, your engagement ring is a big commitment financially and emotionally. But you donʼt have to make that choice alone.

I have years of experience helping people find the highest quality diamond and most beautiful ring they possibly can, ensuring that they get the most bang for their buck and making their proposal even more special. And Iʼd love to do the same for you.