Diamond Know-How

SHAPES & CUTS — The First of the 4Cs

Form meets brilliance.

Shape is the first thing a customer sees — and often what they fall in love with. While the cut determines how well a diamond reflects light, the shape refers to the diamond’s outline. From timeless classics like Round and Emerald to bold styles like Princess or Marquise, lab-grown diamonds give you total freedom of choice. Each shape brings a different personality, visual effect, and design potential.

Beyond the Classics — Fancy Custom Cuts

While timeless shapes anchor tradition, today's lab-grown technology opens the door to bolder expressions. At Azena, we support custom fancy cuts — from Christmas tree and kite shapes to crosses, portrait silhouettes, and signature motifs. These designer shapes are ideal for statement pieces, brand exclusives, or emotional storytelling in jewelry. Whether you're crafting a capsule collection or one-of-a-kind heirloom, our lab-grown diamonds can be precision-cut to bring your most creative visions to life. At Azena, we offer
Round Brilliant

Being the most preferred shape, it has a 360degree symmetrical shape. From traditional solitaires to contemporary designs, this cut suits all mountings.

Oval

Oval is considered to be the perfect shape to accentuate long and slender fingers. The oval diamonds traditional ratio can be said to be from 1.33 to 1.66.

Pear

This well-proportioned cut gives it an elegant depth. In the shape of a teardrop, it is a combination of the beautiful marquise and round cut. Polished with 58 facets, it’s ratio is between 150 to 1.75:1.

Marquise

With two sharp points on either end, the marquise cut consists of 58 facets. Its optimal ratio is always considered to be 2:1.

Emerald

This cut is unique as it creates an alluring optical appearance with its cut in parallel facets. Usually, in a rectangular shape, the emerald’s length and width ratios may vary.

Square Emerald

Mostly suited in vintage-styled jewellery, this cut has been in popular demand. It combines the characteristics of both, oval and round.

Princess

Quite similar to the cutting techniques of an emerald cut diamond, it creates an everlasting look with their angled and cropped corners.

Cushion

Mostly suited in vintage-styled jewellery, this cut has been in popular demand. It combines the characteristics of both, oval and round.

Radiant

This is the perfect combination of the emerald’s outline with the brilliant round cut. there is more weight in the depth of a radiant diamond with higher colour concentration compared to other shapes.

Heart

Staying true to the name, this shape steals hearts. this cut is usually given to those celebrating love and togetherness.

Color – The 2nd C: From D to Z (and Beyond)

Diamond color grading ranges from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow or brown). The closer to D, the more rare and valuable the diamond. Most high-quality diamonds fall between D and H, appearing near-colorless to the naked eye. As color becomes more visible—especially past K—the value typically decreases for traditional white diamonds. But taste varies, and in many cases, a warmer tone adds vintage charm or a bolder aesthetic. Lab-Grown Advantage: The beauty of lab-grown diamonds? We’re not limited to just white. Fancy colors like vivid pink, blue, canary yellow, green, and even deep violet can now be grown with stunning saturation and clarity — often at a fraction of the price of their natural counterparts. What once cost a fortune is now a creative playground.

Diamond color chart

Carat – The 3rd C: Weight That Matters

Carat is the unit used to measure the weight of a diamond — not its size. One carat equals 0.2 grams. But here's the trick: two diamonds can weigh the same and look completely different in size depending on how they're cut. In diamond pricing, even a slight jump in weight — from 0.99ct to 1.00ct — can significantly affect value. That’s why carat is broken into weight categories, not just decimals.
At Azena, we work with calibrated ranges from 0.30 carats up to 10 carats and beyond, ensuring our lab-grown diamonds fit precise market needs — whether you're crafting fine jewelry or building inventory with reliable specs.
Pro Tip: Lab-grown diamonds are ideal for calibrated layouts like eternity bands, tennis bracelets, and matched sets — where consistency in carat, cut, and clarity is key. The precision of lab growth makes uniform sourcing simple and scalable.
Size +0.30 +0.40 +0.50 +0.70 +0.90 +1.00 +1.50 +2.00 +2.50 +3.00 +4.00
Size Range 0.30 to 0.399 0.40 to 0.499 0.50 to 0.699 0.70 to 0.899 0.90 to 0.999 1.00 to 1.499 1.50 to 1.999 2.00 to 2.499 2.50 to 2.999 3.00 to 3.999 4.00 to 10.999

4th C – Clarity: Where Precision Meets Purity

Clarity is the fourth and final C in the diamond quality scale—but certainly not the least. It measures the presence (or absence) of internal inclusions or external blemishes visible under 10x magnification. These characteristics are like the fingerprint of a diamond: invisible to most, but defining to those who know what to look for. Here’s the industry reality: achieving high clarity in mined diamonds is rare— and expensive. But lab-grown diamonds flip the script. Thanks to controlled conditions, they’re consistently produced in top-tier clarity grades like IF, VVS1, and VS1, making them ideal for clients seeking visual perfection without the markup. Clarity impacts how light moves through the stone. Fewer inclusions mean more brilliance. So whether you're curating for high-end bridal, precision pavé, or heirloom-worthy solitaires—clarity matters.

Pro Tip: Lab-grown diamonds offer unmatched value in VS+ grades— visually clean, certificate-backed, and ideal for stackable styles or calibrated melee where consistency is key.

Clarity Chart / Purity Scale (Overview)

FL Flawless
IF Inernally Flawless
VVS1 Very Very Slightly Included-1
VVS2 Very Very Slightly Included-2
VS1 Very Slightly Included-1
VS2 Very Slightly Included-2
SI1 Slightly Included-1
SI2 Slightly Included-2
SI3 Slightly Included-3
I1 Included-1
I2 Included-2
I3 Included-3

The Finishing Touches: Cut, Polish & Symmetry

These three factors are what make or break a diamond’s fire. Together, they define how well a stone interacts with light—its brilliance, sparkle, and visual performance. For designers and jewelers, this is where craftsmanship becomes visible.

Cut

Cut isn’t about shape (that’s already defined). It’s about angles, proportions, symmetry and light performance. Even a D-color flawless stone will fall flat if the cut is poor. An Ideal or Excellent cut ensures that light returns perfectly through the crown, maximizing brilliance.

ID EX VG G F
Ideal Excellent Very Good Good Fair

Polish

Polish refers to the smoothness of the surface after faceting. Microscopic abrasions or polish lines can reduce a diamond’s ability to reflect light cleanly. Top-grade polish eliminates that risk and enhances clarity and brilliance.

EX VG G F
Excellent Very Good Good Fair

Symmetry

Symmetry ensures that every facet aligns and reflects light properly. Poor symmetry throws off angles and creates visual “noise.” High symmetry enhances the optical precision of a well-cut diamond—especially noticeable in round brilliants and solitaires.

EX VG G F
Excellent Very Good Good Excellent

Pro Tip: Lab-grown diamonds consistently score Excellent in Cut, Polish, and Symmetry—making them a precision-friendly choice for both solitaires and intricate pavé settings.

Fluorescence — Misunderstood But Measurable

Fluorescence refers to how some diamonds react to ultraviolet light, either from a UV lamp or natural sunlight. Roughly 30% of all diamonds fluoresce, most commonly in blue. Less often, they might glow yellow, white, or even green under UV light. While often misunderstood as a defect, fluorescence has minimal impact on beauty—unless strong blue is paired with very low color grades, which may appear cloudy. At Azena, we transparently list fluorescence grades so you can match brilliance to preference.

N F M ST VST
None Faint Medium Strong Very Strong

Understanding Diamond Anatomy – From Table to Culet

To truly understand diamond beauty, you need to understand its architecture. Each part plays a specific role in how the stone reflects and refracts light. This isn’t just gemology—it’s physics in motion. Here are the key parts of a brilliantcut diamond:
TABLE
  • Largest facet of diamond
  • Flat surface
  • Similar to a table-top
CROWN
  • Extension of the tale.
  • Ends at the girdle’s top.
  • Step or brilliant-cut facets.
GRIDLE
  • Diamond’s outer-edge.
  • Widest point.
  • Meeting place of crown and pavilion.
  • Can be rough, faceted, or polished.
Pavilion
  • At the bottom.
  • Acts as a bridge between girdle & cutlet.
  • Reflection of light is determined from here.
  • Quality of the cut can allow maximum light.
CULET
  • Smallest facet.
  • At the bottom most tip.
  • Protects the pavilion.
  • Although rendered unnecessary, it is still being used.

Time to Take the Next Step

You’ve explored the brilliance and beauty of diamonds—now it’s your turn to own them. At Azena, we’re bringing you the future of diamonds: ethically sourced, lab-grown, and crafted with exceptional precision. Whether you're in the market for a stunning engagement piece or adding to your collection, Azena is where your journey begins. Register today and unlock a world of ethical luxury. The future of diamonds is waiting, and it’s yours to discover. Ready to make it yours?

Your Shopping cart

Close