Whether you want a salt and pepper or a traditional diamond, the number of facets in the stone will determine sparkle, or the amount of light the stone throws back.
Brilliance Vs. Fire
Sparkle is made up of two different kinds of light bounce. Either the ring offers a great deal of brilliance and is bouncing white light off the facets, or the ring offers fire and is throwing colored light. If you've ever seen a piece of cubic zirconia in a piece of costume jewelry, you will likely have noticed a lot of fire. Diamonds throw white light thanks to their clear centers.
Shapes for the Most Sparkle
Since it's the facets that produce the sparkle, you want a round brilliant cut for optimum light bounce. A round brilliant cut was actually designed for sparkle and was created by a jeweler in the early 20th century. Once you have a round diamond at the center of a ring setting, you can increase the sparkle of white light by adding additional stones around the larger center stone.
Other Shapes to Consider
Of course, many exchange diamonds in a wedding ceremony. If you're giving a diamond as an engagement ring, the taste of the wearer and their daily use of their hands will have an impact on your choice. For example, some ring settings leave the stone sitting quite high, which may be challenging in some workplaces.
If a round brilliant cut won't work for your recipient, the
- princess cut offers great sparkle
- radiant cut pairs the emerald cut with the round sparkle for light bounce
- cushion cut offers both terrific sparkle and a lower cost of gem production
Before you make your final choice, consider whether or not the recipient will wear the ring all day. It's possible to get a round brilliant cut in a more protected setting, though this may dim the brilliance of the stone.