Before saying yes to a ring you'll wear for the rest of your life, it's worth understanding what makes one natural diamond truly extraordinary. Beyond carat weight, color and clarity, how a diamond is cut, how its facets are aligned, and even the shape of the original rough diamond, can have the greatest impact on the way it catches the light. Symmetry is particularly important to look out for as, ultimately, it is what will deliver the diamond’s mesmerizing sparkle.
To answer our most pressing questions, we turned to Jodine Bolden, Senior Manager Education & Training at De Beers Group, and Gil Reichman, diamond cutting expert of Grandview Klein, ORIGIN De Beers Group partner, whose decades of expertise offer a rare look inside the artistry, precision, and craftsmanship behind every extraordinary diamond.
What Your Cut Says About You
ORIGIN De Beers Group offers ten cuts, each with its own personality:
Round Brilliant: Classic, timeless, and romantic. “Couples who choose this often value tradition, enduring elegance, and beauty,” Bolden notes. It’s the shape that’s been the industry benchmark for more than a century, for good reason.
Princess: Modern yet refined. “[This cut] suggests confidence, clean lines, and a contemporary sensibility.” It’s a favorite for couples who want something structured and sharp.
Oval, Marquise, and Pear: Creative and individualistic. "These elongated shapes tend to appeal to couples who want something distinctive while retaining elegance.” They’re also flattering on the hand.
Emerald and Asscher: Sophisticated and understated. Step-cut shapes are “often chosen by those who appreciate architectural beauty, clarity, and quiet luxury.” Think fewer flashy sparkles, more elegant, mirror-like flashes of light.
Cushion: Romantic and vintage-inspired. This shape "indicates a love for softness, heritage, and timeless charm." It's a favorite among couples drawn to old-world glamour.
Radiant: Bold and vibrant. This one “reflects an energetic personality and appreciation for brilliance with structure.”
Old Mine Brilliant: Charming and elegant. This shape is prized for its vintage charm and soft sparkle.
Nature Has A Say, Too
"The rough diamond has already cast its vote," Reichman says.
Every rough crystal has its own natural shape, and master cutters spend hours studying its structure, grain, and unique characteristics before deciding how it should be fashioned.
Octahedral crystals often become Round Brilliant or Princess cuts, while elongated rough naturally lends itself to Oval, Pear, or Marquise diamonds. More irregular crystals are frequently transformed into Cushion or Radiant cuts, maximizing both beauty and yield.
It's one of the reasons certain shapes can be more difficult to source than others and why every finished diamond is truly one of a kind.
The One Thing To Prioritize
When asked for the single most important piece of advice he'd give someone shopping for an engagement ring, Reichman's answer is clear.
"Prioritize the cut over any of the other 4Cs," he says. "A well-cut diamond will always appear more brilliant, even if it's slightly smaller or has a little color."
His practical tips for choosing the right diamond:
Why Symmetry Matters
A diamond's sparkle isn't simply a matter of size or clarity. It's the result of brilliance, fire, and scintillation working together. All three depend on exceptional cutting precision.
And within cut, the quality that matters most is symmetry. It is a component of a diamond's cut grade that is rarely singled out, even though it determines whether a diamond’s light arrives unified or scattered.
That's where ORIGIN De Beers Group distinguishes itself. Reichman explains, “A diamond has one job: to sparkle.” In addition to meeting the industry's highest grading standards, every ORIGIN diamond is held to an even more exacting standard for the precision and alignment of every facet, resulting in incredible brilliance that many retailers say they can spot.
Reichman compares the effect to butterfly wings. "Imagine folding the diamond's facet pattern in half so each side mirrors the other exactly," he says. "When that alignment is precise, light is reflected in a coordinated, balanced pattern, creating brilliance that feels unified rather than random."
That fold line is a symmetry axis, and it explains the mirror at the heart of every ORIGIN diamond. On either side of that axis, each facet is cut as a near-perfect reflection of its partner. Light entering the diamond doesn't simply bounce, it bounces in agreement. Every facet hands light off to its mirrored twin, and the returns arrive together rather than in a scatter. That coordination is sparkle. It is why two diamonds of identical carat, color, and clarity can look nothing alike across the same dinner table.
Just as importantly, that standard isn't reserved for one shape. Whether a Round Brilliant or an Emerald cut, every ORIGIN diamond is crafted to the same uncompromising level of precision.
Achieving that level of symmetry requires advanced optical mapping, digital modeling, laser cutting, and, perhaps most importantly, the expertise of master cutters who have spent decades perfecting their craft.
"The process is both a science and an art," Reichman says.
Beauty You Can See
But can you actually notice the difference in symmetry?
The facets in question are fractions of a millimeter, and the misalignments that separate an excellent diamond from an exceptional are minute. However, according to retailers’ feedback, you can notice an ORIGIN diamond’s mesmerizing sparkle with the naked eye.
The ORIGIN digital app's video also reveals your own diamond's facet pattern folding along its symmetry axis, each side reflecting the other, light gathering and releasing in a coordinated pattern. What would otherwise be a line on a certificate becomes something you can see for yourself.
The point isn't technical perfection for its own sake. Instead, it's a diamond that looks brighter, more brilliant, balanced, and consistently beautiful in any light, and a way to see exactly why.
Finding The One
Ultimately, choosing a diamond isn't about following trends or finding the biggest stone. It's about discovering the shape that feels most like you and ensuring it's crafted with the precision that allows it to shine for decades to come.
Every ORIGIN De Beers Group diamond is held to an exacting standard of symmetry with mirrored precision inside the cut, and the sparkle it produces. Whether you're drawn to the timeless elegance of a Round Brilliant, the romance of a Cushion, or the distinctive silhouette of an Oval, exceptional craftsmanship, like the kind found in ORIGIN De Beers Group diamonds, transforms a beautiful diamond into an unforgettable one.
And ORIGIN De Beers Group goes far beyond the 4Cs, which only describe a diamond. The immersive ORIGIN digital experience leverages blockchain technology and allows you to trace your diamond’s journey from its very beginning. Your diamond’s provenance becomes a story you can explore. Discover the shape of the rough diamond, where it was found, the hands that studied it, and the decisions that made it this diamond and no other. It's about knowing your diamond, not just owning it.
To experience the difference firsthand, visit an ORIGIN De Beers Group retailer and discover how extraordinary precision can change the way a diamond comes to life.
