Round Lab Grown Diamond Engagement Rings

The shape built for sparkle

A round brilliant has 57 or 58 facets arranged to bounce light back up through the top of the stone. Its angles have been studied and refined for a very long time, and no other shape returns light as evenly. If sparkle is what you want most, a round is the safe and beautiful answer. It also suits every setting style there is, from a plain solitaire to a full halo.

Cut grade comes first

Round diamonds are the only shape that gets an overall cut grade on IGI and GIA reports. Use it. An excellent or ideal cut round looks brighter and often bigger than a poorly cut stone of the same weight, because a badly proportioned diamond leaks light out of the bottom or hides weight in a deep belly.

Alongside the cut grade, a few numbers on the report are worth a glance:

• Table around 54 to 60 percent of the width.
• Total depth around 59 to 63 percent.
• Polish and symmetry excellent or very good.

You do not need to memorize these. We check them before a stone reaches your tray. They are useful if you are comparing two stones that look alike.

Size on the hand

Because so much of its weight is spent on light performance, a round can look a touch smaller from above than an oval or a pear of the same carat weight. A well cut 1 carat round measures about 6.4 to 6.5 mm across. Lab grown pricing means you can often go up in size without stretching your budget. A 1 ct round center starts from about $640, so trying a few sizes at your viewing is easy.

Color and clarity for a round

Rounds are forgiving. The brilliant faceting breaks up light into many small flashes that hide tiny inclusions and soften faint color. For a white metal setting, G or H usually looks white face up. In yellow gold, I can look lovely. For clarity, VS2 and many SI1 stones are eye clean. Spend first on cut, then size, then color, and keep clarity just high enough that you see nothing with the naked eye.

Settings for a round center

Every ring on this page can be made with a round center. A few pairings we like:

• Six prong solitaire: a classic look with extra security.
• Four prong solitaire: shows a little more of the diamond and reads slightly square.
• Halo: makes a 1 carat round look closer to 1.5 carats from above.
• Three stone: with round or pear side stones for a balanced row.

Rounds also sit well in a low cathedral setting, which lets a wedding band slide close.

At your viewing

Ask to see two rounds of the same size with different cut grades. The difference in brightness is easy to see once they are side by side. Then try a few carat weights on your finger. Most people find the size they like within a minute or two.

For the grading basics, read the 4Cs for lab grown diamonds. If you want stones pulled ahead of time, use our loose diamond request. Book a viewing at 30 West 47th St, Suite 805, or call (732) 581-7932.