Traditional Rhinestone and Gemstone Shapes and Facets
This chart illustrates different types of cuts and shape names for rhinestones, gemstones, and diamonds. Since gem cuts and shapes can all have facets of different number and quality, this handy chart illustrates the differences. Here is a list of several styles and types of shapes/cuts for both modern and vintage jewelry. Some styles are more in use for certain fashion periods such as Art Deco, Art Nouveau, or Modernism. Rarer, antique and ancient jewelry stone cuts are also listed below. Photos of specific cuts are forthcoming on this page so check back often.
| Name | Description | Standard Number of Facets | American Ideal | See Brilliant | 57 | American Standard | See Brilliant | 57 | Baguette | A narrow rectangle. French for "stick." | 20 | Brilliant | Round or oval with many facets of different shapes and sizes. The cut increases the brilliance of the stone by minimizing the amount of light that escapes at the bottom of the stone. | 57 round, 69 oval | Briolette | A pear shaped gemstone covered all the way around with facets that come to a pointed end. There is no table, crown or pavilion. A type of rose cut. | 84 | Buff top | A cabochon variant for transparent gems with a domed cabochon like top and a faceted pavilion which draws the eye to the center of the gem. | Cabochon | A stone with the upper side polished to a smooth, rounded domed surface with no facets. The back of the stone is flat and unpolished. Usually round or oval. | 0 | Concave | 3-dimensional conical facet applied to the pavilion of a gem. Instead of facets being joined by an angle they are joined with a groove. Sometimes confused with a millennium cut, but easily distinguished by lack of a standard number of facets and it's application only to the pavilion. | Cushion | A square or rectangular shape, but having rounded corners. | 64 | Emerald | A square or rectangular shape with diagonal cut corners. The sides are step cut—there are sloping parallel facets that increase in size as they approach the widest part of the stone and decrease as they reach the bottom. | 50 | Fancy | An unusual shape, not categorized under any other description. | varies | Heart-shaped | Faceted like a brilliant cut stone, but in the form of a heart. | 59 | Leo diamond | Gems that are measured and certified for their high return of light, a characteristic that controls brilliance. | Marquise | Elliptical and pointed at both ends (boat-shaped). | 57 | Millennium | Created by Rogerio Graca around 1999 as a symbol of the new Millennium. Has an incredible 1,000 facets. | 1,000 | Mirror | Characterized by extraordinarily large table and thick girdle consisting of as much as 90% of the width of the gem. Highly reflective, mirror properties. Sometimes called "Thin Stone." It is a variety of the round cut. | Octagon | This cut is differentiated from the emerald cut by steps on the pavilion that are not equidistant. | 53 | Pear | Shaped like a drop of water—pointed at one end and round at the other. Sometimes called "teardrop." | 71 | Princess | Technically known as a "square modified brilliant" cut. See Square. | 76 | Quadrillion | A square shaped diamond with sharp corners. | 49 | Radiant | Rectangular stone that is flat on top and brilliant cut underneath. | Round | Brilliant cut. | 57 | Square | The top is square with one step-cut facet on each side. Also called Princess cut, quadrillion cut. | 57 | Trilliant | Based on a triangular shape with truncated corners. Can be a traditional or rounded triangle shape. | 43 |