Favorite Shape and Why

[minousbijoux]

So I used to look at asscher or emerald or octagon cuts and think "why would anyone bother?" and now I find that I am totally addicted, searching them out (with no luck yet) everywhere.

It used to be that most of the stones I would buy would be ovals - partly because they are so common and partly because it seemed that the best examples of whatever stone I was interested in were oval cuts. But at least for now, I have so totally moved on. I can't bare the thought of buying another oval stone. I am even considering buying a trillion cut some day [Note; italics are to denote shock]. And for now, asscher cuts make my heart sing I know many of you have this down to a science, and know that certain stones optical properties are best in certain cuts, etc., etc., but I'm just not there yet.

Let's hear from you - what shape and why?

 

[SB621]

I really love 3 shapes:
The asscher- have always been a fan. I just love the wind mills and the classic look
The RB- great coverage for the carat weight and even though it is round it can still have different looks- OEC or a the portugise (sp?) cut- love them all
The Cushion- I just love the style of cushion cuts. They are different then RB's but not as structured (is that even the right word) as a princess cut.

 

[Arkteia]

Rounds and cushions.

 

[violet3]

cushion for sure, for bright/darker colored stones, and asscher for light stones.

 

[LD]

Interesting question! It's probably easier to say that I don't like trilliants. It's the only cut (for a main gemstone) that I very rarely buy. I'm not sure why but I don't particularly like them in rings so that limits me to pendants/earrings.

I love cushions, pears, radiants, ovals, emerald cuts, marquise and rounds if I have to (they're my least favourite cut).

Not keen on the Asscher cut although I do own a few.

 

[JewelFreak]

Agree w/Sarahbear about asschers (on lighter stones where the windmills really show). Also love emerald cuts on stones where fewer facets don't detract from brilliance. Cushion. Portuguese, I love! Not crazy about trilliants, pears, marquises. Maybe I'll get there the more I see & learn.

--- Laurie

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I love emerald cuts and cushions. Asschers have been on my list forever, but I never pull the trigger on one.

 

[kenny]

I love my traditional asscher, below, because of the large bars of color and the way the pattern leads the eye.
I think there is a little of an optical illusion thing going on - how the shapes near the middle are the largest ones, then the shapes (virtual facets) gradually get smaller as you get closer to the edges of the diamond, where the diamond itself is bigger.
This contributes to the sense of depth which invites you to dive in.

Pics don't capture much of the magic of the effect of the asscher.
It's a 3D two-eye thing.

The combination of triangles and rectangles I find very pleasing, relaxing even.
The way the shapes are distributed and lined up brings to mind patterns in some rugs of the Navajo.

 

[davi_el_mejor]

I've subconsciously bought 4 pears in a row... but they're not my favorite. I love trillions. I only own one, but it's def one of my faves.

 

[cellentani]

I like squares: asschers, cushions, and cut-corner radiants. I've always found this shape to be very flattering on my broad finger. I also like rounds, but find that I often put them in cushion-shaped halos, lol, so we're back to the square outline. I'll only buy a supernova oval - no keel cuts or bowties. I like larger pears, but again, only if there isn't any bowtie. And now that I'm into pendants and earrings, I have a feeling I might buy a trillion or two someday....

 

[jstarfireb]

I like pretty much every shape except pears, but I prefer shapes that are symmetrical in all directions (rounds, squares)

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I love the softness of a cushion--and the elegance of a navette.

cheers--Sharon

 

[LaurenThePartier]

I almost always default to something square or octagonal; cushion, clipped corner radiant, and of course, asschers.

 

[minousbijoux]

Wow, its funny, but I thought there would be a clear pattern; and the only pattern is there is no pattern! But I did learn some new shapes. Kenny, the photo of that asscher is unbelievable! I know exactly what you mean about the Navajo designs and that is why I like asschers too. Only I had never thought about the fact that it wouldn't be the same with a dark colored stone - another thing I just learned from you good CSers

 

[marymm]

My favorites are cushion and portuguese cuts - but I love an emerald-cut and recently received my first marquise (or navette - I just Googled that and learned it is another term for marquise - this is why I love PS). Still wanting an Asscher but do not have one yet.

 

[iLander]

I have always like the emeralds and asschers, they just give you more bang to the millimeter. A 6 x 8 emerald cut has WAY more impact than a 6 x 8 oval. A perfectly symmetrical emerald just gives off so many dramatic flashes of light!

It's disappointing to me that my little 1/2 carat asschers are so much smaller than my 1/2 carat rounds, though. It's a cut that eats up carat weight, is that right? I'd like someone to tell me if that's true. . .

I also like a good radiant cut, for the sparkles.

So, for me, the debate is flashes versus sparkles.

Can't stand the princess cut, though. I think it's often used to cover up bad material, IMHO.

 

[kenny]

Yes asschers look smaller than rounds of the same weight so you have to buy a larger one.
Asscher's big naked facets show inclusions more than a round so you need higher clarity.
They also show body color more than a round so you have to go for higher color.
No inquiry evokes the PS silent treatment like a noob looking for a nice asscher.
KarlK can't help us pick them out anymore.
There ain't no cut grading for the asscher.
There ain't no HCA for the asscher.

Whaaaa!

But when they are nice, they are Oh So Nice!

 

[jstarfireb]

So true, Kenny! I don't know enough about Asschers to be of much help, so I just refer people to Good Old Gold for buying a diamond and one of the precision cutters for buying colored stones (Peter Torraca, Gene Flanigan, Jeff White, Doug Menadue, Gary Braun...)

 

[jstarfireb]

Can't stand the princess cut, though. I think it's often used to cover up bad material, IMHO.

You know what's weird? I absolutely adore princess cuts in diamonds...a well-cut princess has a crisp sparkle, and I just love the square shape. But for colored gems, it's just BLAH! Maybe I'm affected by the fact that the only princess-cut gemstone I bought broke during setting, but it just doesn't seem to do it for me in colored gems.

 

[FrekeChild]

Awwww, no love for the princess?

I don't like them either. But I do like them starset. This one will be some day...because I don't like it's current incarnation.

ETA: And I like symmetry. So no pears or trillions for me. And NO HEARTS!

 

[Nomsdeplume]

I love cushions, especially elongated ones. I have just always been drawn to them. I also love asschers.

 

[Indylady]

Cushions, but I don't own a single one.

 

[Indylady]

Double post.

 

[chrono]

For me, it is easier to explain why I dislike a particular shape rather than like one. Basically, I like anything with a small table and high crown though. I have nothing against ovals other than they seem unexciting and are very common. Of course, ovals are also common because most rough are easily shaped into one. I also have nothing against trillions except that settings for trillions are extremely limited and most are unattractive. I actually like step cuts a lot, however, most coloured gemstones do not look their best cut as one, not to mention they tend to be the deepest of the cuts, ending up looking smaller than other shapes. This leaves me with round brilliants, pears, and cushions, I suppose.

 

[ruffysdad]

From a cutters perspective, my two favs right now are modified portuguese cuts. The first starts out with the standard break facets on a brilliant followed by a set of veticaly split mains, then another set of verticaly split breaks and finally a last set of split mains. The crown can either go as an SRB with vertical splits or just an SRB. Either way, it packs a ton of facets on a stone and the finished piece just lights up with flash and movement.

The other is a modification on a standard portuguese where the facets are shifted to the side as they march down the pavillion or up the crown. The result is a kind of whirlpool effect that draws your eye into the center of the stone. Kind of like the asscher does only there's a lot more facets to lay in. Again, it makes the finished stone really move.

Both are kind of a pain to cut since I have to make a ton of meets but the end result of all those cuts just does it for me .

Pete

 

[Michael_E]

I've always liked odd shapes, bullets, weird shaped traps and things like shields. Well especially the shield shape which is like that on my cape...you know the one with the BIG red "S" on it. It really looks good in some gems, but others are a bit dangerous. I tried cutting kryptonite once...sneezed for days.

On a more serious note, I really do like shield shapes. I've recently been playing around with designs incorporating multiple stones and a shield shape fits perfectly for use in a multiple stone arrangment. The attached image is of a four stone arrangement of shields. The reason for doing renderings is that it reduces the cost of playing around. I can tolerate wasting my time on a design which doesn't work, but I'd feel really bad wasting gem material on something that wasn't going to be worthwhile. This one looks like it'll work pretty well though...almost an Asscher outline, although it would need strips of metal between the gems. The name on the pic is a joke for a local computer geek.

 

[velouriaL]

Really cool, Michael! Although it would all depend on getting the setting right...

 

[Agnesg]

Micheal that is really cool! I like standard oval and fatter pear.. They are classic to me

 

[Pandora II]

I like cushions best, and trilliants. I rarely set my stones and the trilliants can have wonderful light return and bring out the best in some darker stones IMO. Ovals can be nice and I love rovals!

I'm not a fan of 'points' so I'm not drawn to emerald cuts, asscher cuts etc and I have a loathing for princess cuts especially in diamonds.

In diamonds I like OECs and transitionals and that is pretty much it.

 

[minousbijoux]

Okay, my new favorite is Michael E's "quad core" Can you imagine creating it with two different colored stones, say two types of garnet, or spinels? I suggest you work on it Michael E, and any practice versions could come stay at my house...