Find the Right Diamond Shape

February 28, 2020March 5, 2020Olivia Leave a comment

Your engagement ring is something you’ll wear for the rest of your life. So you, of course, want to search for an engagement ring that perfectly reflects your style and tastes. That’s why we generally recommend choosing your desired diamond shape early in the engagement ring shopping process, as diamond shape sets the overall style of your ring. Not sure which diamond shape fits your style? Below, we’re sharing some notes on the style of each diamond shape to help you find the perfect shape for you.

Round Diamonds

Danhov Abbraccio Swirl Engagement Ring

Round is easily the most popular diamond shape. Over 50% of all diamonds sold today are round diamonds. This shape is beloved in part because it has a lovely, classic style. Round cut diamonds are elegant, traditional, and simply stunning. They pair well with any ensemble, as well as with virtually any engagement ring setting. Round diamonds are also loved for their extraordinarily high brilliance. Round diamonds, the most brilliant of all diamond shapes, feature a faceting pattern that’s specifically designed to maximize shimmer. Brilliant and truly classic, round cut diamonds are perfect for those who have an eye for timeless beauty.

Princess Diamonds

Danhov Voltaggio Tension Set Engagement Ring

Princess cut diamonds have a sleek, modern style. This diamond cut, which looks like a square when viewed from above, boasts clean lines that give it a decidedly contemporary beauty. In addition to being sleek and chic, princess cut diamonds are quite brilliant. So while princess cut diamonds feature a streamlined look, they’re not short on glamour, making them a well-rounded option for those with an eye for modern design.

Cushion Diamonds

Cushion cut diamonds are highly romantic, with a lovely vintage look. Cushion cut diamonds are a modern version of a vintage diamond shape, the old mine cut. The cushion cut combines the soft, rounded shape of the old mine cut with a modified version of the round brilliant cut diamond’s faceting pattern. This combination creates a gorgeous effect: cushion cut diamonds have a vintage look, due to their shape, but also have the stunning shimmer that’s only possible with modern cuts. Cushion cut diamonds are an ideal option for those who want a vintage look, yet also want to make sure their engagement ring is beautifully brilliant.

Oval Diamonds

Oval cut diamonds are somewhat similar to round brilliant cut diamonds, with a similar silhouette and a brilliant cut. But the oval cut diamond’s elongated shape creates a more distinctive, and also somewhat more elegant look that’s simply enchanting. Oval cut diamonds are perfect for those who love the classic look and high brilliance of a round cut diamond, yet want something a bit more unique.

Emerald Diamonds

Danhov Carezza Emerald Engagement Ring

Emerald cut diamonds feature step cut facets that create a gorgeous type of light reflection. The long, linear facets of an emerald cut diamond create larger flashes of light, which are quite glamorous. These larger facets also allow you to see clearly into the center of an emerald cut diamond, showing off its crystal clear beauty. The unique cut of the emerald diamond gives it a captivating, purely elegant look, making it ideal for those who have a sophisticated sense of style.

Pear Diamonds

Danhov Eternita Pear Shape Eternity Diamond Wedding Ring

Pear diamonds, also known as teardrop diamonds, are glamourous yet highly unique. This brilliant cut diamond shape is rounded on one end, then narrows into a sharp point at the other end, giving it an incredibly distinctive look. This diamond shape is the perfect choice for someone who is confident and loves to draw eyes from across the room.

Asscher Diamonds

The asscher cut diamond has a unique Art Deco Era vintage beauty. Like the emerald cut diamond, the asscher cut diamond is a step cut diamond shape. But the asscher cut diamond features a highly unique faceting pattern, which was the first ever diamond cut to be patented. This faceting pattern, created in the early 1900s, gives the asscher cut diamond a look that’s all its own, making the asscher cut diamond ideal for those who love uncommon beauty.

Marquise Diamonds

Danhov Voltaggio Knife-Edge Marquise Engagement Ring

The marquise diamond has a beautifully unique shape. This brilliant cut diamond shape is slim, with curving edges that narrow to a point at each tip. The marquise diamond is perfect for someone who loves to stand out from the crowd.

Heart Diamonds

Heart shaped diamonds are utterly romantic and also rather dramatic. This diamond shape, cut into the shape of a heart, is feminine and incredibly eye-catching, since heart shaped diamonds are a rare choice. Heart shaped diamonds are quite rare in general, as it takes exceptional skill to create a well cut heart shaped diamond. Heart shaped diamonds are the perfect option for true romantics who love a boldly beautiful look.

Our Danhov Holiday Wishlist

December 26, 2019Olivia Leave a comment

The holidays are the perfect time to embrace your love of all things shimmery. So in this post, we’re sharing our Danhov holiday wishlist, full of our favorite dazzling diamond jewelry. Read on to see the pieces we’re dreaming about this Christmas!

1. Double Band Halo Engagement Ring in Rose Gold

This halo engagement ring is as glamorous as it is romantic. Here, a gorgeous round brilliant diamond rests in a pave diamond halo setting. This stunning centerpiece sits atop a unique, wide rose gold band that is set with two rows of brilliant white diamonds. This ring’s diamonds contrast beautifully with its rose gold setting, creating a warm yet icy look that’s nothing short of sublime.

2. Floral Diamond Band

A ring of diamond flowers shimmers in this sweet floral diamond band design. Here, delicate platinum flowers set with pave diamonds create an infinite flower chain. This lovely ring makes the perfect romantic wedding band, and it also works well as a unique, eye-catching engagement ring.

3. Mixed Metal Criss-Cross Band Engagement Ring

The mixed metals used here add just the right amount of unique detail to give this classic engagement ring a special touch. In this design, a round brilliant diamond rests upon a slim criss cross band. Half of the ring’s band is white gold and set with diamonds, while the other half is crafted from pure, gleaming rose gold. This beautifully designed engagement ring is classic, yet also has a stand-out look we can’t get enough of.

4. Pear Shaped Diamond Infinity Band

This Christmas, go for glamour by selecting this simply gorgeous infinity band. This engagement ring is set with pear shaped diamonds that create an infinite ring of brilliant shimmer. These pear shaped diamonds alternate in position, which adds balance and detail to the piece. This engagement ring is luxurious, unique, and nothing short of breathtaking.

5. Double Band Diamond Engagement Ring

This stunning, traditional engagement ring design proves that some engagement ring styles are classic for a reason. Here, a round brilliant diamond is set atop a dazzling double band set with pave diamonds. Dazzling from every angle, this ring is a timelessly beautiful option that will look chic for decades to come.

6. Abbraccio Swirl Pearl Ring

Make a sophisticated statement with the utterly elegant Abbraccio Swirl Pearl Ring. This ring features a lovely, sizable pearl at its center, which gleams with a glowing natural luster. Here, the pearl is surrounded by a halo of delicate pave diamonds, which adds brilliance to the piece. This ring’s band swirls to meet the center halo, adding another unique touch to this distinctive design.

7. Modern Round Diamond Engagement Ring

This jaw-dropping engagement ring is the epitome of modern glamour. This design features a mesmerizing round center diamond, which rests atop a unique and dazzling band. This ring’s pave diamond band features eight white gold loops set with diamonds, which add shimmer and balance to the design. This ring is gorgeous, glamorous, and uniquely modern.

The Cushion Cut Diamond

May 31, 2019May 31, 2019Olivia Leave a comment

The cushion cut diamond is classic, unique, and gorgeous. This diamond shape is a modern evolution of one of the world’s earliest diamond cuts: the old mine cut. This blend of old and new gives the cushion cut diamond the best of both worlds. It’s at once vintage, due to its unmistakable shape, and modern, thanks to its highly brilliant faceting.

In this post, we’ll take a closer look at the cushion cut diamond. We’ll cover this cut’s rich history, detail the anatomy of the cut, teach you everything you need to know about selecting a cushion cut diamond, and talk about which setting is best for cushion cut diamond.

The History of the Cushion Cut Diamond

Before we had the cushion cut diamond, there was its predecessor: the old mine cut. The old mine cut dates all the way back to the 1700s. This cut featured 58 facets that were measured by eye and cut by hand, resulting in a squarish shape with rounded edges.

The old mine cut was the most popular diamond shape in the Georgian era (1714 to 1837) and the Victorian Era (1837 to 1901), so you’ll find that many antique diamonds feature the old mine cut. In these eras, the old mine cut was popular because it was brilliant in all types of lighting, including the dim candlelight that most people lit their homes with in the evenings.

The cushion cut diamond is similar in shape to the old mine cut diamond but the way the shape is cut has been changed to maximize brilliance. Some notable differences between the cushion cut and the old mine cut include the cushion cut’s shallower pavilion, lower crown, larger table facet, and its lack of culet.

The Anatomy of the Cushion Cut Diamond

Cushion cut diamonds get their name from their shape. When viewed from above, this diamond shape looks like a square with rounded corners, just like a cushion.

Unlike other diamond shapes that have standardized faceting patterns, the cushion cut can have a bit more variety. Though there are numerous ways a cushion cut diamond might be faceted, these cuts will fall into one of two different categories: standard cushion cuts and modified cushion cuts. Standard cushion cuts have the classic, fiery cushion cut look, while modified cushion cuts have extra rows of facets that give them what’s known as the “crushed ice” look.

How to Select a Cushion Cut Diamond

When you purchase any diamond, it’s important to understand the 4Cs. Then, on top of having a basic understanding of how the 4Cs affect a diamond’s beauty, each diamond shape has its own special considerations. For cushion cut diamonds, you’ll want to think carefully about your diamond’s color, depth percentage, and table percentage.

When selecting a cushion cut diamond, know that cushion cut diamonds are notorious for holding color more strongly than other diamond shapes. Because of this, many experts suggest going with an H color cushion cut diamond or above.

In addition to color, you’ll want to take time to consider the depth and table of a cushion cut diamond. Generally, you’ll want a depth under 70% and a table under 70% for the most brilliant cushion cut diamond.

Of course, along with assessing a cushion cut diamond’s color, depth percentage, and table percentage, you’ll also want to think carefully about its clarity and cut. Cut is always extremely important for any diamond shape. Cut is the single most important grading for any diamond, as a poorly cut diamond will look dim and a well cut diamond will sparkle beautifully. Then, the clarity of a cushion cut diamond is more a matter of personal preference. If you’re concerned about seeing internal flaws through the large table of a cushion cut diamond, you may want to spend some extra time searching for an eye clean cushion cut diamond.

Choosing a Setting For Your Cushion Cut Diamond

Now that you know everything you need to know about buying a cushion cut diamond, let’s talk settings. So which settings are best for a cushion cut diamond? Really, all settings can be a beautiful choice for a cushion cut diamond. Cushion cut diamonds look lovely in solitaire, bezel, and halo settings.

However, in terms of which setting is the most popular for a cushion cut diamond diamond, we have a clear winner: the halo setting. Halo settings are the perfect complement for a cushion cut diamond. Just like the cushion cut, halo setting are vintage, yet modern. Together, a cushion cut diamond and a halo setting create a romantic and vintage, yet still brilliant and contemporary, look.

Although the Eleganza Halo Engagement Ring pictured above has a round cut diamond, the halo is in the shape of a cushion cut, which would pair beautifully with a cushion cut diamond.