What Diamond Shape Looks the Biggest? Complete Guide to Diamond Shapes and Visual Size

When shopping for a diamond, whether it's a lab-grown Caydia® diamond or our signature Forever One™ moissanite, one of the most common questions we hear at Charles & Colvard is: "What diamond shape looks the biggest?" While carat weight measures a diamond's actual mass, the perceived size—how large a diamond appears to the eye—can vary significantly between different shapes. In this guide, we'll explore which diamond shapes create the illusion of greater size and the unique characteristics of each popular shape.

Diamond Shapes That Look the Biggest for Their Carat Weight

Not all diamond shapes display their carat weight equally. Some shapes distribute their weight in ways that maximize face-up appearance, making them appear larger than other shapes of identical weight. Here's how the most popular diamond shapes rank in terms of perceived size:

Marquise Diamonds: Maximum Visual Impact

The marquise diamond shape typically looks the largest per carat. Its elongated, boat-shaped cut features pointed ends with a large surface area visible from the top view. This shape's distinctive design can make a 1-carat marquise diamond appear significantly larger than a 1-carat round brilliant of the same weight.

Why marquise diamonds look bigger:

• The elongated shape creates a larger face-up surface area
• The tapered ends extend the diamond's length
• The narrow width allows the carat weight to be distributed along the length

Oval Diamonds: Elegant Elongation

If “what diamond shape looks the biggest” is your top concern, the oval diamond shape is another excellent choice for maximizing perceived size. For those asking what diamond shape looks the biggest, the oval cut’s elongated shape creates a larger face-up appearance compared to round diamonds of the same carat weight. Their soft, rounded edges offer a timeless appeal that combines the sparkle of a round brilliant with the size advantages of an elongated shape.

Why oval diamonds look bigger:

• Approximately 10% larger face-up appearance than round diamonds of equal weight
• Elongated form creates the illusion of greater size
• No pointed edges that might be prone to chipping

Pear Diamonds: The Best of Both Worlds

The pear diamond shape (also called teardrop) combines elements of both the marquise and oval cuts, featuring one rounded end and one pointed end. This hybrid shape creates an excellent size appearance for its carat weight while offering a unique, distinctive look.

Why pear diamonds look bigger:

• Elongated form creates a larger surface area
• The tapered end extends the diamond's length
• The asymmetrical shape draws the eye along the entire length

Emerald Diamonds: Sophisticated Step-Cuts

The emerald diamond shape features a rectangular step-cut with trimmed corners and parallel facets that create a "hall of mirrors" effect. While emerald cuts don't have the same sparkle as brilliant cuts, their large, open table (top facet) creates an impressive size appearance and showcases exceptional clarity.

Why emerald diamonds look bigger:

• Large, open table showcases more surface area
• Rectangular shape elongates the appearance
• Step-cut facets create depth and drama

Radiant Diamonds: Brilliant Rectangles

The radiant diamond shape combines the rectangular or square outline of an emerald cut with the brilliant faceting pattern of a round diamond. This hybrid cut offers both impressive size appearance and exceptional sparkle.

Why radiant diamonds look bigger:

• Rectangular shape provides more surface area than round cuts
• Trimmed corners appear to extend the diamond's size
• Brilliant faceting creates considerable fire and scintillation

Classic Diamond Shapes with Timeless Appeal

While the shapes above maximize perceived size, other classic diamond shapes offer different advantages in terms of brilliance, versatility, and timeless appeal.

Round Brilliant Diamonds: The Sparkle Standard

The round brilliant diamond shape is the most popular and traditional choice. While round diamonds don't maximize face-up size appearance, they offer unmatched brilliance and fire due to their ideal 58-facet pattern designed to maximize light return.

Size appearance: Round diamonds have smaller face-up appearances than fancy shapes of the same carat weight but compensate with superior sparkle.

Princess Diamonds: Square Brilliance

The princess diamond shape features a square outline with pointed corners and a brilliant faceting pattern. This modern cut offers a good balance between unique shape and impressive sparkle.

Size appearance: Princess cuts have a larger face-up appearance than round diamonds of equal weight but if you’re curious about what diamond shape looks the biggest, the princess cut may not offer the same illusion as elongated shapes.

Cushion Diamonds: Soft and Romantic

The cushion diamond shape features a square or rectangular outline with rounded corners, resembling a pillow (hence the name). This classic cut has been popular for over 200 years and offers a romantic, soft appearance.

Size appearance: Cushion cuts vary in their face-up size based on their length-to-width ratio, with more elongated cushions appearing larger than square ones.

Asscher Diamonds: Vintage Geometry

The Asscher diamond shape is a stepped square cut with trimmed corners, creating an octagonal appearance. Similar to the emerald cut, it features a hall-of-mirrors effect but in a more square proportion.

Size appearance: While the asscher cut offers a distinctive vintage appeal, if you’re wondering what diamond shape looks the biggest, asscher cuts typically have a smaller face-up appearance than many other shapes.

Heart Diamonds: Symbolic Expression

The heart diamond shape is a specialized cut featuring a distinctive heart outline. While challenging to cut properly, a well-proportioned heart diamond offers both symbolic meaning and impressive sparkle.

Size appearance: Heart shapes generally have a good face-up appearance but require larger carat weights (typically 0.75 carats and above) to properly display the heart shape detail.

Factors That Affect How Big a Diamond Looks

Beyond the diamond shape itself, several factors influence a diamond's perceived size:

Diamond Cut Quality

Proper cutting proportions significantly impact how large a diamond appears. Well-cut diamonds reflect more light back to the viewer, creating better brilliance and a larger appearance. Poorly cut diamonds may appear smaller or darker regardless of their actual carat weight.

Length-to-Width Ratio

For fancy shapes, the length-to-width ratio impacts perceived size. More elongated stones (higher ratios) generally appear larger than more square or circular shapes of equal carat weight.

Setting Style

The setting can dramatically influence how large a diamond appears:

• Halo settings surround the center stone with smaller diamonds, making the center stone appear up to half a carat larger
• Bezel settings may make stones appear smaller as metal surrounds the entire edge
• Prong settings maximize light entry and minimize metal coverage, enhancing apparent size

Metal Color

White metals like platinum or white gold can make diamonds appear larger by creating a seamless visual flow between the metal and diamond. Yellow or rose gold creates more contrast, sometimes making the diamond's boundaries more defined.

What Diamond Shape Looks the Biggest & Which Is Right for You?

When selecting the perfect diamond shape, consider these factors beyond just which shape looks the biggest:

1. Personal style and preference: The shape that resonates with you personally is always the best choice
2. Lifestyle and practicality: Active lifestyles might benefit from shapes without pointed edges that could snag or chip
3. Hand shape and size: Certain diamond shapes complement different finger shapes and hand sizes
4. Budget considerations: Fancy shapes like oval and marquise often cost less per carat than round brilliants

Charles & Colvard: Beautiful in Any Shape

At Charles & Colvard, we offer our signature Forever One™ Moissanite and Caydia® lab-grown diamonds in various shapes to suit every preference. Our lab-grown diamonds provide exceptional value, allowing you to potentially select a larger carat weight than you might afford with a mined diamond.

Our Forever One™ moissanite and Caydia® lab-grown diamonds are created in environmentally controlled laboratories without the environmental impact of diamond mining. Set in recycled precious metals, our jewelry represents a more sustainable choice than traditional mined diamond jewelry.

Whether you're drawn to the maximum visual impact of a marquise or oval, or the classic brilliance of a round, we offer exceptional quality, brilliance, and value in every shape we create.

Diamond Shape and Size FAQs

Which diamond shape has the largest surface area per carat? The marquise diamond shape typically has the largest face-up surface area per carat, followed by pear and oval shapes.

Do elongated diamond shapes really look bigger? Yes, elongated shapes like marquise, oval, and pear distribute their weight across a larger face-up surface area, creating the appearance of a larger diamond.

What diamond shape looks best on small fingers? Elongated shapes like oval, marquise, and pear can create a lengthening effect that flatters smaller fingers. Round and cushion cuts also work well on petite hands.

What diamond shape sparkles the most? The round brilliant cut is engineered to provide maximum sparkle through its 58-facet pattern that optimizes light return. Among fancy shapes, the radiant and princess cuts offer excellent brilliance.

Which diamond shapes are most affordable? Fancy shapes like marquise, pear, oval, and emerald often cost 20-30% less per carat than round brilliants, allowing you to purchase a larger stone for the same budget.