Round vs Oval Cut

Executive Summary

Having to choose one of these two diamonds is not an entirely easy task. You have to consider factors like diamond size, shape, setting, price, etc. which are some of the factors we’ll use in our comparison below.

Diamond size: If you have one each of these diamonds with the same carat weight, the oval diamond will appear 10% bigger than the round diamond. If you want a diamond with a bigger perceived size, you choose an oval diamond.

Diamond sparkle: Round diamond is referred to as the “round brilliant diamond” because of its level of brilliance. This is its strongest point. The oval diamond is also considered a brilliant diamond but it does not come close.

Diamond varying shapes: Round diamonds are only ever round. But oval diamond can either be long and thin or wide and squat depending on the LW ratio. Your choice will depend on your preference.

Diamond setting: The lack of edges and corners in round diamonds makes them less prone to chipping and also more open to different types of setting. Oval diamonds, on the other hand, need to be placed in a setting that protects its tip from chipping and also hides the likely inclusions there.

Bowtie effect: The round diamonds is one of the few (if not only) diamond cuts that never suffers from the bowtie effect. But the oval diamonds are very susceptible to the bowtie. You just have to check first-hand to ensure the diamond you are buying does not have.

Availability, rarity, and price: The round diamond is very available and easy to find, unlike oval diamond. The round cut is unarguably the most sought after diamond in the world. This high demand makes it very expensive than an oval diamond. Coupled with the fact that there’s more waste when cutting the round diamond to the oval diamond.

The decision of what diamond shape to buy is entirely yours. But if you have to choose between the round cut and the oval cut, which would you prefer? When it comes to buying a diamond, there are many things to consider. Factors like shape, size, price, setting, etc. are all put into consideration especially if you have a particular idea for what you want in mind and/or you are working on a budget.

Over the years, the round cut diamond has been the most popular and most sought after diamond shape. But more recently, interest in the oval cut diamond has increased and this has brought about the question of which is the better diamond cut. Many have argued that the round cut diamond is better and oval cut does not come close. But this is not actually true, as we will see in this article.

Personal preference and the size of your pocket would generally play a role in what diamond shape that you choose. But if you want a comparative review of both diamond shapes based on size, sparkle, varying shapes, setting, and price, here it is.

Diamond Sizes

If you have a preference for a diamond that actually appears big to the eye, then an oval cut diamond would be your choice. Not only does the oval diamond appear bigger than it actually is, but it is also bigger than the round cut diamond in reality. If you are to compare an oval and a round diamond of the same carat weight, the oval diamond would appear to be 10% bigger than the round diamond. If you also examine both diamonds on a finger, the oval cut diamond again appears bigger than the round cut diamond. This is because of the elongated shape of the oval diamond. It has a larger surface area and therefore covers more of the finger than round diamond does. This perception of the eye makes it appear bigger than the round cut diamond.

When it comes to size, the oval cut diamond is your better bet. Except you prefer your diamonds small, which is quite weird, to be honest.

Diamond Sparkle

This is unarguably the best argument for round cut diamond. It is the reason why it has thrived for many years as the most popular and sought after diamond. The fire, brilliance, and scintillation than the round cut diamond give are the best you can get from diamonds. It is why many refer to them as ‘round brilliant cut’ and not just round cut. The sparkle is indeed “brilliant”.

To be fair, the round cut has a better sparkle but that does not mean that the oval cut is lacking in sparkle. Of all the different diamond shapes, the oval cut is also known as one of the most brilliant diamond cuts. The oval cut might not be as brilliant as the round cut but it is also regarded as a ‘brilliant cut’. This marks its own credentials as well, so you can wave off the brilliance of the oval cut, especially considering that its facet structure is very similar to the round cut diamonds as well.

The Diamond’s Varying Shapes

Round cut diamonds (from the name) are only ever round. They do not have varying shapes that you can choose from. The only difference between them is their sizes. But this is not the case with oval diamonds. Oval diamonds can differ from each other in both shapes and sizes.

Depending on the length to width ratio of the diamond, the oval diamond can either be thin and long or wide and squat. The length to width ratio that is considered as ideal or classic for the oval cut diamond is 1.45. If you prefer a wider oval diamond you can go for a lower length to width ratio but if you want a longer one you can go for a higher length to width ratio. The range for the length to width ratio is around 1.30 – 1.66. The wide oval diamonds look a lot like the round diamond and the longer one makes your finger appear longer.

Depending on your preference again, the different shapes of the oval diamond may or may not be an advantage for you.

The Different Diamond Settings

The absence of corners and sharp edges in these diamonds makes them very good fits for different diamond settings. Solitaire, vintage and tension settings are some of the most common settings used for these diamonds but they actually fit in all settings. Their lack of edges makes them more resistant to chipping (compared to other diamonds with edges). This means that they do not necessarily need extra protection when you are mounting them in the setting.

If you are going for the traditional style ring, the more ideal choice is the round cut diamond. It is the older diamond dating back into centuries, so they appear more classical for that setting. The oval cut diamonds are more recent and quite unique. But both diamonds are very classy and sophisticated and make very gorgeous engagement rings.

Diamond Prices

The price of the diamond is usually a huge determinant when it comes to purchasing a diamond. If you have to choose between an oval diamond and a round cut diamond based solely on price, the obvious choice would be the oval diamond. For all the characteristics that it possesses, the oval diamond is very cheap compared to the round diamond. This makes it very affordable and that’s one of the reasons for its rising popularity.

If you compare the two diamonds on the table, you will notice that they have the same characteristics for cut, color, clarity and carat weight but their prices still differ with almost $1,000. In most cases, round cut diamonds are known to be about 30% more expensive than oval diamonds.

The major difference for their large price difference despite close similarities boils down to two main factors;

Firstly, the oval cut diamonds are not as common as the round cut diamonds. The round cut diamond is one of the oldest diamond cuts, it is the most brilliant diamond and it has been popular for ages now. The oval cut diamond is more recent and less popular, so the demand for it is not as high as that of the round cut diamond. Secondly, there usually is a lot of diamond rough wastage when cutting the round diamond, unlike the oval diamond where there is less diamond rough wastage. When cutting the round diamond, up to 40% of the rough diamond can be lost in the process and this causes an upsurge in the prices of the diamond.

Availability and Rarity

Round cut diamonds are more popular and in more demand than the oval cut diamonds. This makes them more available than oval diamonds. This rarity or scarcity of oval diamond means that it is more possible to find a round cut diamond that fits your spec than to find the same for an oval diamond. So when searching for an oval diamond, it may take more time and require a lot more effort than round diamonds.

Depending on how you see it, it may be an advantage or a disadvantage. But this implies that the oval diamond is a more unique choice than the round cut diamond which is more common.

Bow Tie Effect

The bow tie effect is a phenomenon common with elongated diamonds like oval, pear and marquise cuts. The bow tie effect is a dark horizontal line that runs across the center of the diamond. This is something that destroys the beauty of the diamond and is not something that anyone wants to see on their diamond. It is something that every buyer looks to avoid. These bowtie effects have varying degrees, it may be light in some cases while in other cases it may be darker.

When it comes to an elongated diamond like the oval diamond, it is unlikely that there is no bow tie at all in it. The important thing is that the bow tie effect is not visible enough to distort the beauty of the diamond.

This is one advantage that the round cut diamond has over the oval diamond. The round cut diamond is not one of the diamonds that suffer the bow tie effect so you don’t have to worry about it.

Summary

• The round cut is a more common shape while the oval diamond is unique.
• They are both classic and sophisticated diamond shapes but the round diamond is a more traditional diamond.
• They are both brilliant diamonds but the round diamond is more brilliant.
• You can save money on an oval diamond as it is 30% cheaper than round diamonds. So oval diamonds are more ideal if you have a stricter budget.
• There are different shapes and sizes for the oval shape but the round shape diamond does not have a variety of shapes.
• The uniqueness of the oval diamond makes it less available than the round diamond.
• The oval diamond is susceptible to bowtie effect which is absent in round diamonds.