Adored by women the world over, the most popular engagement rings are still the round diamond engagement rings. The reason for their popularity is simple: the brilliant round cut produces the maximum amount of sparkle from a diamond giving these rings the ultimate wow factor and undeniable beauty. It is why high profile celebrities, from Barbara Streisand to Christina Aguilera and Scarlett Johansson, have all opted for round engagement rings.

Founded in the early 20th century, the brilliant round cut was created by Belgian diamond cutter Marcel Tolkowsky. In 1919, he published the results of his years of research in his book “Diamond Design” and it became an instant success. Through the use of precise mathematical calculations he was able to establish the optimum configuration of facets within the diamond to produce maximum brilliance and sparkle. Although advances in knowledge and technology have seen the cut evolve, Tolkowsky’s model still acts as a template from which cutters work.

While the brilliant round is the ultimate cut, even within this category standards vary. One of the ways to tell a superior cut is if a stone generates the hearts and arrows effect. This occurs when the symmetry within the stone is at an optimum, so that all the facets are perfectly aligned with the bottom and top of the diamond exactly perpendicular to each other. Stones like this are very rare and expensive not only because of their scarceness but because of the amount of work involved. The process can take as much as 4 days, compared to a regular brilliant round which may be ready in just an hour or so. Although the pattern which sees hearts appearing from the top and arrows from the bottom of the diamond can really only be seen with the aid of a gem scope, it is the resulting sheer sparkle it achieves that makes it so valued.

As with all brilliant diamond engagement rings it is also important that they are polished correctly, besides making sure the symmetry is ideal. If the polish is of a low standard it can have the result of dulling the brilliance and fire of the diamond. This is why it is important to only buy from reputable jewellers. Only choose those which are registered with a trading body such as the British Jewellers’ Association and who receive positive customer feedback.

Gary Ingram is Managing Director of The Diamond Store.co.uk, one of the UK’s largest online jewellers that specializes in engagement rings from round engagement rings through to pave diamond engagement rings.

Round Diamond Wedding
Round Diamond Wedding
Round Diamond Wedding