Updated 4 October 2026
Diamonds are cut in ten shapes you will meet in jewellery: round, oval, pear, marquise, emerald, Asscher, cushion, princess, radiant and heart. Shape is the outline of the stone. It sets how large a diamond looks, how it sparkles and how it wears. At Nivara every shape is VVS clarity, E colour and ideal cut, at ₹50,000 per carat.
The diamond shapes chart
Every outline above is a 1 carat diamond, drawn to scale with the others, using the sizes in our shape by shape size guides. The table gives the same sizes in millimetres.
| Shape | The look | At 1 carat, about |
|---|---|---|
| Round | Classic and bright, a circle cut to return light | 6.5 mm across |
| Oval | A round drawn out along the finger, soft and long | 7.7 x 5.7 mm |
| Pear | A rounded end and a single point, like a drop | 9.7 x 6.3 mm |
| Marquise | Long and narrow, with a point at each end | 11.2 x 5.6 mm |
| Emerald | A rectangle of long open steps, calm and architectural | 7.2 x 5.3 mm |
| Asscher | A square step cut with cropped corners, Art Deco in spirit | 6.0 x 6.0 mm |
| Cushion | A square with soft rounded corners, like a pillow | 6.2 x 6.2 mm |
| Princess | A sharp cornered square with brilliant facets | 5.5 x 5.5 mm |
| Radiant | A rectangle with cropped corners and full sparkle | 6.4 x 5.5 mm |
| Heart | The symbol, cut as a diamond | 6.9 x 6.9 mm |
Sizes are approximate for a well proportioned stone and vary a little with each diamond's cut; the IGI certificate gives the exact measurements of the stone you choose. For the full millimetre to carat tables, see our size guides for oval, pear, marquise, emerald, Asscher, cushion, princess, radiant and heart diamonds, and the carat size chart for rounds.
Which diamond shape suits you
- You want the classic: round.
- You want a longer, slimmer line on the finger: oval, pear or marquise.
- You want something soft and a little vintage: cushion, or an Asscher for the Art Deco side of vintage.
- You want clean, modern lines: princess, emerald or radiant.
- You want a ring that carries a meaning: heart.
- You wear your ring through everything: round, oval or cushion, which have no corners or points to catch.
Each shape, and who it suits
One ring for each shape, so you can see the outline on a real finger. Prices are for 14k gold and move with the gold rate, and carat figures marked "in all" count every diamond in the ring.
Round
Round is the classic. A round brilliant is cut to send light back to the eye, which gives it the sparkle other shapes are measured against, and its even outline sits well in any setting. At 1 carat it measures about 6.5 mm across.
Suits you if you want a ring that never needs explaining. See round diamond rings.
Amora round solitaire, from around ₹49,000. A single 0.50 carat round diamond in prongs on a plain gold band.
Oval
Oval is a round drawn out along the finger. It spreads its weight over a longer outline, so a 1 carat oval, about 7.7 by 5.7 mm, looks larger face up than a 1 carat round, and it lengthens the finger. With no points to chip, it is easy to wear daily.
Suits you if you want a modern line with the familiar sparkle of a round. See our guide to oval engagement rings, or all oval diamond rings.
Amara oval solitaire, from around ₹87,000. A single 1.00 carat oval diamond in prongs on a slim white gold band.
Pear
Pear has a rounded end and a single point, like a drop. Worn with the point toward the fingertip, it draws the eye along the finger. Its two halves must mirror each other, so look closely at the symmetry, and keep the point guarded in the setting with a prong over the tip.
Suits you if you want something less expected than an oval. See pear diamond rings.
Amora pear solitaire, from around ₹49,000. A single 0.50 carat pear diamond in prongs on a plain gold band.
Marquise
Marquise is long and narrow with a point at each end, said to have been commissioned to echo the smile of a French noblewoman. At 1 carat it measures about 11.2 by 5.6 mm, the longest outline of the ten, so it covers a good stretch of the finger. Both tips need protecting, so look for a prong at each end.
Suits you if you like drama with a vintage streak. See marquise diamond rings.
Mira marquise, from around ₹1,04,000. A single marquise diamond held at both points, on a band set with small diamonds, 1.23 carat in all.
Emerald
Emerald is a rectangle cut in long, open steps. Instead of scattered sparkle it gives broad flashes of light, often called a hall of mirrors. The open steps show a stone's clarity more than a brilliant cut does, which is where VVS clarity earns its place. Four prongs or a bezel guard the corners.
Suits you if you like quiet, architectural elegance. See emerald diamond rings.
Mirage emerald cut, from around ₹91,000. An emerald cut diamond in four prongs on a slim gold band, 1.02 carat in all.
Asscher
Asscher is a square emerald cut with cropped corners and a high crown, first cut in 1902 and a favourite of the Art Deco era. From above it reads almost as an octagon, with the same hall of mirrors look as an emerald cut.
Suits you if you like geometric lines and a vintage character. See Asscher diamond rings.
Amara Asscher halo, from around ₹59,000. An Asscher cut diamond in a square halo of small diamonds, on a band set with diamonds, 0.80 carat in all.
Cushion
Cushion is a square with soft, rounded corners, like a pillow. Some cushions have larger facets that flash boldly, others a finer crushed ice sparkle; both give a warm light and photograph beautifully. With no sharp points, it wears easily.
Suits you if you want softness with sparkle. See cushion diamond rings.
Amora cushion solitaire, from around ₹49,000. A single 0.50 carat cushion cut diamond in prongs on a plain gold band.
Princess
Princess is a square with sharp corners and brilliant facets, so it sparkles like a round inside a crisp, modern outline. The corners are the most exposed part of the stone, so choose a setting that guards them: a prong over each corner, V shaped prongs or a bezel.
Suits you if you like clean, modern geometry. See princess diamond rings.
Mira princess halo, from around ₹61,000. A princess cut diamond in a square halo of small diamonds, on a band set with diamonds, 0.80 carat in all.
Radiant
Radiant is a rectangle or square with cropped corners and a full brilliant facet pattern: the outline of an emerald cut with the sparkle of a round. It is one of the brightest cuts and hides small inclusions relatively well.
Suits you if you love the lines of an emerald cut and want more fire. See radiant diamond rings.
Amora radiant solitaire, from around ₹48,000. A single 0.50 carat radiant cut diamond in prongs on a plain gold band.
Heart
Heart is the one shape that is also a symbol. It is demanding to cut, needing a clear cleft at the top and two even lobes, and that definition is hard to hold in a small stone, so a heart suits about 0.50 carat and above.
Suits you if you want a ring or pendant that says something. See heart diamond rings.
Aria heart and round trio, from around ₹1,26,500. A heart cut diamond between two round diamonds, on a band set with small diamonds, 1.72 carat in all.
How shape changes how big a diamond looks
Carat measures weight, not width. Shapes that stretch their weight along a longer outline cover more of the finger. At 1 carat a round is about 6.5 mm across, an oval about 7.7 by 5.7 mm and a marquise about 11.2 by 5.6 mm, which is why the long shapes read large and lengthen the hand, while squarer shapes sit more compactly. The chart is drawn to scale, so you can see it. For rounds from 0.25 to 3 carats, see the diamond carat size chart.
Does diamond shape change the price?
At Nivara, no. Every diamond is VVS clarity, E colour and ideal cut, at ₹50,000 per carat, the same for every shape, with the gold and setting added. You can see it in our own solitaires: the round, pear, cushion and radiant Amora rings above are each 0.50 carat on a similar plain gold band, and they start within about ₹1,000 of one another. The small gap follows the weight of gold in each band, not the shape of the diamond.
In the wider market, shape can move the price per carat. Here it does not, so you can choose the outline you love and compare carats like for like. For how shape and size on the finger work together, see our guide to choosing a diamond shape for your budget.
Shapes and everyday wear
A ring goes through ordinary days: laptop sleeves, handbags, a door held open with a hip. Round, oval and cushion have no corners or points to catch. Princess, emerald, Asscher and radiant have corners, pear and marquise have points, and a heart has a cleft and a tip. None of that is a reason to give up a shape you love. It is a reason to choose a setting that guards the exposed part, with prongs over the corners or a bezel, and every Nivara piece comes with lifetime cleaning, polishing and prong tightening.
Brilliant cuts and step cuts
Eight of the ten shapes use brilliant style facets, which break light into many bright points. Emerald and Asscher are step cuts, with long parallel facets that give broad flashes of light instead. The open steps act like a window into the stone, so step cuts show clarity and colour more than brilliant cuts do. Every Nivara diamond is VVS clarity and E colour, so you give up nothing in either by choosing a step cut.
See all lab grown diamond rings or every engagement ring, and our solitaires if you want the shape alone.
What comes with every piece
- One diamond standard, whatever the budget: VVS clarity, E colour, ideal cut.
- IGI certification, and on solitaires the report number laser inscribed on the stone, so the paper and the diamond are one.
- 14k or 18k BIS hallmarked gold.
- A lifetime exchange at 100% of the current gold and diamond value, and a lifetime buyback at 100% gold and 85% diamond value.
- Lifetime polishing, cleaning and prong tightening, for as long as the piece is worn.
See the shapes on your own hand
A chart shows the outline; your own hand shows the effect. Book a private viewing and try three or four shapes side by side at our showrooms in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Indore or Ahmedabad. Anywhere else in India or abroad, book a video consultation; we ship to 28 countries.
Frequently asked questions
How many diamond shapes are there?
Ten shapes are common in jewellery: round, oval, pear, marquise, emerald, Asscher, cushion, princess, radiant and heart. Others exist, but these are the ones you will meet most often. At Nivara, whichever shape you choose is VVS clarity, E colour and ideal cut, and IGI certified.
Which diamond shape looks biggest?
Long shapes look biggest for their weight, because they spread it along the finger. At 1 carat a marquise measures about 11.2 by 5.6 mm and an oval about 7.7 by 5.7 mm, against about 6.5 mm across for a round. Squarer shapes such as the princess, about 5.5 mm a side at 1 carat, sit more compactly.
Does diamond shape change the price at Nivara?
No. Every Nivara diamond is priced at ₹50,000 per carat for VVS clarity and E colour, whatever its shape. The price of a piece comes from the weight of the diamond and the gold and setting added, so you can compare shapes carat for carat.
What is the difference between an emerald cut and an Asscher cut?
Both are step cuts, with long open facets and cropped corners. An emerald cut is a rectangle, about 7.2 by 5.3 mm at 1 carat. An Asscher is a square, about 6.0 mm a side, with more cropped corners and a higher crown, which gives it an almost octagonal outline from above.
Which diamond shape is best for everyday wear?
Round, oval and cushion have no corners or points to catch on a sleeve, so they are the easiest to wear every day. Shapes with corners or points, such as princess, pear and marquise, wear well in a setting that guards them, with prongs over the corners or tips, or a bezel. Nivara tightens prongs for life.
