While most people get intrigued by the term ‘fancy diamond’, some still do not understand what the ‘fancy’ part stands for. Simply put, it can refer to two things – fancy shaped diamond or fancy colored diamond. People tend to take ‘fancy’ for a particular type of cut or shape that is desirable. While that line of thought might be partly true, fancy shaped diamonds refer to any cut or diamond shape that is not a ‘round’ one.
There used to be a time when round cut diamond engagement rings used to dominate the market. It is the go-to shape, as men especially choose a round cut diamond to propose their ladylove. That is primarily because a round diamond often features as a solitaire diamond in an engagement ring, and you could not go wrong if you choose that type of diamond ring.
Most engagement rings in the market have featured round diamonds since the old days. However, marketers were smart enough to realize soon that there has to be an alternative diamond cut or shape to round diamond. So, the fancy cut diamond was made in a bid to diversify the market and promote diamond shapes other than the standard ‘round’.
You can get a lot of benefits by opting for a fancy shaped diamond. When planning to purchase one, here are five things you should be aware of.
Fancy Diamond Cuts Pair Well with All Jewelry Types
Besides diamond engagement rings, the fancy cut stones go well in earrings and pendants too. For instance, the heart cut and pear shaped diamonds are excellent options for pendants. Even a pendant with a teardrop diamond is particularly flattering, as it will follow the natural curve of the wearer’s neckline.
The princess diamond cut is another option you can consider for all types of jewelry. It even features a bigger table than round diamonds, which means that the earrings with princess cut diamonds will actually appear larger than those having round cut stones of the same carat weight. The same kind of principle applies to diamond engagement rings too.
Fancy Cut Diamonds Follow Trends in the World of Fashion
The demand as well as popularity of fancy shaped diamonds has depended upon overarching fashion trends. From the 1950’s through to the 70’s, emerald cut diamonds were the most popular choice in fancy diamond shapes. Grace Kelley had an emerald shaped diamond engagement ring, and the shape was thought to provide its wearer with an air of ‘old money’.
Then came along a whole new style in the 80’s – princess cut diamonds. The popular trend back then was to go for large, geometric stone shapes, as well as bright colors. This “the bigger the better” perception lead to the rise in the popularity of princess cut diamonds. Therefore, during the 80’s through to the 2000’s, the princess cut surpassed emerald cut diamonds in popularity.
Lately, another shift has started in the popularity of fancy shaped diamonds. Cushion cut diamonds are starting to outdo princess cut today, since they offer the many-faceted diamond brilliance with a more traditional shape.
Fancy Shaped Diamonds are Becoming Even More Popular
Round diamonds still maintain a prominent position in the market and are here to stay for a long time, but fancy shapes have been all the rage of late. Today’s customer is inclined toward diamonds that are more customizable as well as tailored to their personal taste. Almost everyone falls in love with unique diamond shapes, which has become an integral part of their style.
Fancy cut stones give you an option to select a stone that reflects your distinctive aesthetic or taste, so it makes sense that they are gaining popularity in this day and age of customization and unconventional diamond engagement rings.
You are Likelier to Find a Fancy Shape on a Colored Diamond
Minimizing the amount of scrap is the main priority while cutting a raw diamond. This is more true for colored diamonds, since they are pricier and rarer. Most raw diamonds are similar in shape to fancy diamonds rather than the round shaped one. Therefore, a diamond cutter who is given a raw and colored diamond will nearly always have to use a fancy shape to maximize the carat weight.
You Can Use the Unique Properties of Fancy Diamonds to your Advantage
The many different fancy diamond shapes allow you to make use of their unique qualities to get an ideal stone. Each fancy shape has its own advantages that you can take advantage of to get the most value for money. For instance, some people buy a modified rectangular cut diamond engagement ring that is an ideal match to their lover’s personal taste.