It was most popular during the late 1980s and early 1990s. "The princess cut is a square with 90 degree angle corners that is known for its 'X' shape pattern when you look down into the stone," said Alpert.
Princess cut engagement rings Tiffany & Co. Alpert shared, "because they aren't as popular at the moment, (you) can get really exquisite, incredible stones for less (than other shapes)." Tip: try setting the stone horizontally (sometimes called an "east-west setting") for a more unique look. It is also the most elongating shape on the finger. Marquise shaped engagement rings look like a football with delicate pointy tips at both ends. "The perfect pear shape is really subjective since it can be long and skinny or short and fat," Alpert told TODAY. O'Connor pointed out that although it was most popular in the 1950s, celebrity rings, such as Avril Lavigne's and Paris Hilton's, have prompted a comeback for this dated cut. The pear shape can best be described as a teardrop shape it's pointy at one end and rounded on the other. Pear shaped engagement rings Tiffany & Co. Both O'Connor and Alpert noted their unique bow-tie formation that can be seen when looking into the stone from above. Alpert recommends this shape because they are "very elongating on the hand," which inherently takes up more space on the finger. Oval engagement rings are currently the most popular engagement ring shape and have been for the past two to three years. Alpert calls them the "most traditional, most sought after shape" and "the most brilliant of all the cuts." Their brilliance (read: sparkle) is due to the facets (the cuts on the underside of the stone) being placed strategically so that the diamond can take in and reflect as much light as possible. Round diamonds account for 60 percent of all engagement rings, according to O'Connor. If you're looking for the sparkliest engagement ring you can find, a round cut should be your go-to. Now that you know what characteristics to look for in any diamond you pick, here are the variety of different engagement ring shapes to choose. However, carat weight alone doesn't determine a diamond's monetary value - you have to take the other three C's into account. Larger stones will inherently be heavier, which is why they typically have a larger amount of carats. Carat: Often associated with size of the diamond, a "carat" denotes the physical weight of a diamond.Unsurprisingly, the closer to being colorless a diamond is, the rarer it is and thus more expensive. According to Tiffany, many diamonds have a slight yellow or brown tint. Color: Color refers to the natural tint of the diamond.Included diamonds are almost opaque in nature, such as the black diamond that Fergie got engaged with. Michael O'Connor, a jewelry and style expert, told TODAY Style that one of the growing trends is more included, lower-clarity diamonds. Absolutely flawless diamonds are exceedingly rare and priced accordingly," it states on Tiffany's website. Clarity: "Diamond clarity is a measure of the purity and rarity of the stone, graded by the visibility of these characteristics under 10-power magnification.For maximum light reflection, Tiffany highlights that the cut should be proportional and symmetrical. Cut: The cut is the shape into which the diamond is formed.