DIAMOND POLISHING

Updated: 07.05.2026

DIAMOND CUTS

A Comprehensive Expert Guide

Author: Marta Kłosowska – Diamond Expert

 

szlify diamentów


Introduction – why the cut is the most important

My name is Marta, and I have been professionally involved with diamonds for years.
If I had to say one thing that clients hear from me most often, it's this sentence:

It's not the color, not the clarity, and not the carat that determine a diamond's beauty – it's the cut.

The cut is the only parameter of the 4Cs that is entirely dependent on human intervention and includes various types of diamond cuts.
It is precisely this that determines:

  • brilliance,
  • fire,
  • scintillation,
  • and whether a diamond looks "alive" or dull.

In this section, I have gathered complete, organized knowledge about all types of diamond cuts – from classic, through modern, to historical and specialized ones.

Cut vs. Shape – A Key Distinction

First, I need to clarify some terms, as they are often confused in the industry, such as diamond shape and cutting style.

  • Diamond shape – is the outline of the diamond viewed from above (e.g., round, oval, square).
  • Cutting style – is the arrangement and placement of facets.

The same shape can have different cutting styles, for example, brilliant cut types, and this dramatically changes the appearance of the stone.

Main Diamond Cutting Styles

1. Brilliant Cut

This is the most well-known and most frequently chosen style among diamond cut types.
Its purpose is to maximize brilliance and fire.

Characteristics:

  • triangular and rhombic facets,
  • intense light reflection,
  • the greatest "sparkle" among all styles.

Brilliant Style Cuts and Shapes:

👉 Each of the above cuts can have different variants of proportions and facet patterns, which significantly affects the final effect.

2. Step Cut

Step cuts are the opposite of brilliant cuts.
They do not focus on "sparkle," but on elegance, purity of form, and the play of large reflections.

Characteristics:

  • long, parallel facets,
  • "mirror stairs" effect,
  • greater visibility of color and clarity.

Step Cuts:

  • Emerald (Emerald Cut)
  • Asscher
  • Baguette
  • Tapered Baguette
  • Carré (square step cut)
  • Trapezoid
  • Bullet
  • Half-moon
  • Shield
  • Kite
  • Lozenge

👉 These cuts are chosen by those who appreciate minimalism, architecture, and timeless elegance.

3. Mixed Cut

Mixed cuts combine features of brilliant and step cuts, presenting different types of diamond cuts.
They were created to maintain a geometric shape but add more brilliance.

The most important mixed cuts:

  • Radiant
  • Cushion (mixed variations)
  • Elongated Radiant
  • Elongated Cushion

👉 In practice, these are some of the most versatile diamond cut types on the market.

Historical and Antique Cuts

As an expert, I cannot overlook the cuts from which everything began, including brilliant cut types.
They shaped modern jewelry art.

Historical Cuts:

  • Point Cut
  • Table Cut
  • Rose Cut
  • Old Mine Cut
  • Old European Cut
  • Antique Cushion
  • Peruzzi Cut
  • Mazarin Cut

Characteristics:

  • higher crowns,
  • larger culets,
  • soft, "candlelight" sparkle,
  • unique character of each stone.

👉 Today, these cuts are returning to favor in vintage and luxury jewelry.

Special and Niche Cuts

There are also less common cuts, often used as:

  • side stones,
  • designer elements,
  • part of custom compositions.

Special Cuts:

  • Hexagon
  • Octagon
  • Triangle (variants other than trilliant)
  • Portrait Cut
  • Polki Cut
  • Cabochon (extremely rare in diamonds)

Why two diamonds of the same cut can look completely different?

This is a question I hear very often.

This is determined by:

  • proportions (depth, table, angles),
  • precision of facet execution,
  • optical symmetry,
  • polish quality,
  • the way the diamond manages light.

Therefore, the name of the cut is only the beginning of the conversation, not its end, especially when discussing diamond cut types.

How to use this knowledge?

This page is a map of diamond cuts.
You can:

  • click on each listed cut,
  • go to a separate subpage,
  • learn about its advantages, disadvantages, and applications.

If you don't know which cut is best for you — that's normal.
That's what I'm here for.

Marta
Diamond Expert

 

Read also:

https://diamentexpert.pl/pages/karat

https://diamentexpert.pl/pages/szlify-diamentow-portugalski