The Diamond Shape Guide
Shape is the first decision and the most personal one — it sets the ring's whole character before a single spec is discussed. Ghavelli currently stocks round, oval and cushion; the rest of the canon is available by custom order and joining the collection soon.
The brilliants — engineered for sparkle
Round brilliant
57–58 facets tuned over a century for maximum light return. The most brilliant shape, the most timeless, and the benchmark everything else is measured against. Roughly held: no shape sparkles harder.
Oval
Round's elongated sister — the same brilliant faceting stretched to flatter the finger and face up larger per carat. Watch for the bow-tie (a dark band across the middle): a well-cut oval keeps it faint. Currently the most requested fancy shape.
Cushion
A softened square with pillowy corners and a warm, romantic glitter — larger, slower flashes than a round's fireworks. Forgiving of warmth in colour, superb in halos and pavé settings.
Pear
Teardrop — half round, half marquise. Elegant and elongating; the point asks for a protective V-tip prong. Coming soon.
Marquise
The eye-shaped cut with the largest face-up spread per carat of any shape. Dramatic, vintage-flavoured, unmistakable. Coming soon.
Princess
A crisp square brilliant — modern lines, excellent sparkle, historically strong value per carat. Corners want a bezel or four secure prongs.
The step cuts — engineered for glass-clear elegance
Emerald
Long rectangular facets in parallel "steps" produce broad flashes — a hall-of-mirrors effect instead of glitter. Step cuts hide nothing: prioritise higher clarity (VS+) and colour. Coming soon.
Asscher
The square step cut with an art-deco soul and a hypnotic windmill pattern. The same clarity rules apply.
Choosing in practice
- Maximum sparkle: round, then oval and princess.
- Looks largest per carat: marquise, oval, pear — elongated shapes spread wide.
- Understated / architectural: emerald, asscher.
- Soft and romantic: cushion.
Then confirm the millimetres, not just the carats — the carat size guide shows what each weight really measures in each shape.
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