A Complete Guide to Round Brilliant Cut Diamonds

The round brilliant cut diamond stands as the most iconic and popular diamond cut in the world, gracing nearly three-quarters (75%) of diamond jewellery sold internationally.

First developed in the 17th century, its popularity soared in the early 20th century, thanks to Belgian engineer Marcel Tolkowsky, who crafted the modern round brilliant cut which is favoured by many.

Thinking of proposing? Or are you looking for a unique birthday surprise? Our guide will help you find a gorgeous round brilliant cut diamond ring, pendant, or pair of earrings that your partner will cherish forever.

How Many Facets Does a Round Brilliant Cut Diamond Have?

A round brilliant cut contains 57-58 facets, with 33 facets on the crown and 25 facets on the pavilion depending on the culet.

When looking at the facets of a round brilliant diamond, the crown encompasses the table which is the centre facet, this is followed by 8-star facets surrounding it, 8 kite facets, and 16 upper girdle facets make up the face up view of the diamond. Meanwhile, the pavilion comprises of 16 lower girdle facets and 8 pavilion main facets.

Your round brilliant cut diamond may or may not have a culet, this makes the difference between 57-58 facets, which is something that needs to be taken into consideration with your jewellery purchase as this is the point at the bottom of the pavilion, the edge of it can be flattened and would be a facet too making the 58th facet on the diamond this can make a huge impact to the diamond’s appearance.

Round Brilliant Cut Diamonds Work Well with Various Styles

Round brilliant cuts are renowned for being one of the most versatile diamond cuts, making it well-suited for various styles, particularly with engagement rings and diamond rings.

When choosing a design for your round brilliant cut diamond jewellery, you should consider your partner’s style and taste. Do they like the classic and timeless style of a solitaire? Or are they into something more modern and sparkly, such as a halo cut? 

Things to Consider When Choosing a Round Brilliant Cut Diamond

Before buying around brilliant cut diamond ring, there are a couple of things that need to be considered, such as:

Consider Durability on Your Round Brilliant Cut

While diamonds are ranked 10 on the Mohs scale of hardness, like many other diamond cuts, the round brilliant can still be prone to chip. When choosing your round brilliant, avoid any stones with extremely thin girdles, the girdle is the edge of the diamond’s circumference and can come into contact with many items when worn on the hand during the wearer’s daily routine. A girdle edge that is too thin will be prone to chipping in certain open ring style settings and leaves the girdle edge more vulnerable to getting damaged, always ask to see the certificate and take a good look at the girdle edge with a Jewellers loupe.

Ensure the Round Diamond Has Plenty of Brilliance

One of the most important things to consider when choosing a round brilliant cut diamond is ensuring that it has plenty of sparkle and brightness. Before choosing your diamond, re-look at the return of light in white light and in spectral colours (colours of the rainbow). You will see this as you rotate the diamond as a diamond with great scintillation will have these colours shining brightly as you move the diamond in the light. Great scintillation means the diamond will shine brightly on your chosen piece of luxury jewellery. 

Look Out for Fire

With your round brilliant cut stone, you want to make sure that it displays plenty of fire. Display the round diamond under the store spotlights and look for flashes of orange, yellow, blue, or red while you tilt and move it under a spotlight. You want to make sure that your round brilliant cut has plenty of these spectral colours, so that it displays its signature sparkle.

Can I Get a Lab Grown Round Brilliant Cut Diamond?

Yes, lab-grown diamonds come in all shapes including a round brilliant cut diamond. It displays the same fire and brilliance as a natural diamond cut, except it’s been created more ethically, leaving the earth untouched. At Shining Diamonds, we offer a wide variety of lab-created round brilliant cut diamond jewellery to help you create an eco-friendly proposal or unforgettable gift that they’ll love and treasure forever.

Treat Yourself to a Piece of Round Brilliant Cut Diamond Jewellery from Shining Diamonds

When it comes to a classic and timeless present to give to that special someone in your life, consider giving them a beautiful piece of round brilliant cut diamond jewellery.

Struggling to find a round brilliant cut diamond that you and your partner likes? To put in the perfect piece of jewellery that matches your engagement ring or earrings? Our diamond experts can answer any questions you may have about our range of round brilliant cut diamond jewellery that we currently offer.

Book an appointment at our Hatton Garden or Brighton Lanes showroom today and we’ll help you find the perfect piece for that special someone in your life.