Which Diamond Cut Has the Most Sparkle (We Checked!)

Everyone loves a diamond that sparkles! But did you know that the cut of the diamond drastically affects its ability to shine? In this article, we are going to find out which diamond cut has the most sparkle (and which has the least) so that you can confidently purchase a diamond that will sparkle like the stars!

Round-cut diamonds have the most sparkle of any cut! And the reason why is that round diamonds have the largest number of facets which allow natural light to enter and reflect natural light. Because round diamonds are the most sparkly, they are also often the more expensive option. 

Now, if you want to learn everything there is to know about what makes a diamond sparkle, as well as which cuts will sparkle the most and even how the cut and brilliance will affect the price, keep reading! You’re going to be an expert in no time. 

What Makes a Diamond Sparkle?

Before we dig into the various diamond cuts and which are the most and least sparkly, it is first vital to understand what actually makes a diamond shine and sparkle in the light. 

Scientifically, diamonds have facets that allow white or natural light to enter at a variety of angles. Therefore, the more facets a diamond has, the more light can enter. 

Once the light enters the diamonds, it reflects or refracts back out, causing the diamond to sparkle. While most diamonds have a bit of sparkle, colorless diamonds are far more sparkly than colored diamonds as the light can be more clearly reflected. 

Clarity also has a big effect on whether or not a diamond will sparkle. It likely comes as no surprise that the clearest diamonds shine the brightest as the light reflects through the clear interior. 

Whereas diamonds with more inclusions are less sparkly as the light cannot be seen as clearly through the cloudy or dark spots. 

Finally, many people wonder whether a diamond is natural or synthetic diamonds sparkle more. And you may be interested to learn that high-quality synthetic diamonds sparkle just as much as natural diamonds. 

Alright, now that you understand the various aspects that make a diamond sparkle, it’s time to find out which cuts create the most and least sparkle! 

Which Cut of Diamond Has the Most Sparkle?

Of the almost a dozen options for diamond cuts, round diamonds have the most sparkle. 

And the reason why is actually quite simple: Round diamonds have more external facets (58 to be precise) than any other diamond cut, which allows for more light to enter and reflect, causing more sparkle! 

The fact that round diamonds are known to sparkle the most has kept them as one of the most popular options for rings, earrings, and necklaces for centuries. 

It is interesting to note that when jewelers cut a diamond into a round shape, usually, quite a bit of the carat weight is lost. However, even though round diamonds are therefore often smaller than their counterparts with other cuts, their ability to sparkle in the sun keeps their price tags quite high. 

Which Cut of Diamond Has the Least Sparkle?

Now, you may also be wondering which cut of diamond has the least amount of sparkle. 

According to our extensive research, the baguette diamond has the least sparkle of any diamond cut. 

Although the baguette diamond cut looks quite similar to an emerald cut, it is slightly different in that the edges are straight as opposed to rounded. 

Baguette-cut diamonds have the least sparkle because they only have 14 facets for the light to enter and refract. That means they have less than 25% of the facets that round diamonds have! 

Diamond Cuts Breakdown: Most to Least Sparkle

If you know a bit about diamonds, you already know that there are quite a few cuts available. 

And because it can get a little confusing, we are going to break down the 11 different distinguished and popular cuts, explaining their shape, how many facets they have, and how much they sparkle!

Round

The round cut diamond is a perfect circle. It has 58 facets and is known as the most sparkly diamond cut available today. 

Oval

Second on the list, the oval, which is an elongated circle, also has 57 or 58 facets and can be as sparkly as the round cut. 

Princess

Princes cut, or square cut diamonds, are the second most popular shape in the market today. They can have between 50 and 58 facets, which means some can have just as much sparkle as the round cut!

Emerald

A popular vintage look is the emerald cut which is a rectangle with rounded edges. While it also has 57 facets, some of the facets are slightly longer, which decreases the brilliance compared to the first three cuts on the list. 

Pear

Just like the other cuts on our list, pear diamonds have between 56 and 58 facets. And while pear diamonds are almost as sparkly as round diamonds, they are consistently less expensive! 

Cushion

Cushion diamonds look like a square pillow with rounded edges. As a modern interpretation of the princess cut, they also have around 58 facets and can provide a lot of sparkle. 

Heart

Cutting a heart shaped diamond is considered tricky work. And although they have just as many facets as the round cut diamond (58) often they won’t have quite as much sparkle due to inconsistencies in the cuts. 

Marquise

With 58 facets, marquise or oval diamonds with pointed edges can sparkle almost as much as the others. However, the intricacies of the cut can make a big difference as to whether it sparkles brightly or not. 

Trillion

As we move down the list, we arrive at the trillion cut, which looks like a triangle. With only 31 or 50 facets, they sparkle less than most other cuts. 

Asscher

Although asscher diamonds have 58 facets, they are known to be quite a bit sparkly than others. With 8 sides, it slightly resembles the cushion cut but is far less common. 

Baguette

Last on the list is the baguette diamond. While it looks quite a lot like the emerald cut, it only has 14 facets, making it the least sparkly diamond cut. 

Does the Skill of the Jeweler Affect a Diamond’s Sparkle?

Another vital thing to understand about determining how much a diamond will sparkle is that it’s not just about the shape of the cut, but about the skill of the jeweler as well! 

Cutting a diamond to perfection is a challenging job, and only talented jewelers can do so. In fact, there are considered 5 types of diamond cuts:

  • Poor Cut: Around 12% of diamonds are poorly cut and will not sparkle as the cuts are too deep, narrow, or shallow. 
  • Fair Cut: 35% of diamonds are considered fairly cut, which means they will have some sparkle, but not a lot. 
  • Good Cut: These diamonds, which make up about 25% of the market, allow some light to enter and reflect, but not as much as very good or ideal cuts. 
  • Very Good Cut: Only 15% of diamonds are considered high enough quality to receive the very good cut label. Therefore, these diamonds are more expensive than the others. 
  • Ideal Cut: Ideal cut diamonds will sparkle the most, but only 3% of the world’s diamonds have received this classification! 

Essentially, the more skillfully cut the diamond is, the more sparkle it will have. However, it’s also important to note that high-quality cuts are usually far more expensive than the lower quality options. 

Finally, let’s find out exactly how to choose the best possible diamond for sparkle (at your price point.)

Which Diamond Should You Choose for Sparkle?

When it comes to choosing the most sparkly diamond possible, you should always consider the 3 of the 4 Cs. 

The 4 Cs of diamonds are the stone’s cut, color, clarity, and carat. Of these four classifications, the only one that doesn’t affect the amount of sparkle in the diamond is the carat weight. 

As you now know, the other three aspects, cut, color, and clarity, not only affect the way a diamond looks but also how much it sparkles! 

A diamond with the most possible sparkle will be round, colorless, and labeled as FL or flawless cut by an expert. However, a diamond that ticks all three of these boxes is likely to be one of the most expensive options on the market. 

Obviously, it is extremely important to consider your budget when selecting the perfect diamond. And although usually, the more sparkly than diamond, the more expensive it is, you can still get a beautiful option within your price point. 

And now you know what cuts are the most (and the least) sparkly, as well as which other factors will affect the brilliance, so you can shop around and confidently choose a diamond that you love, and that will shine like the sun!