Solitaire rings · By shape
Round brilliant solitaire rings
Fifty-seven facets cut to a formula refined over a century to return as much light as possible straight back at the eye. The round brilliant is the brightest shape there is and the one that hides a slightly lower colour or clarity grade best. It is also the classic solitaire: a round stone, six claws, a plain band. If you cannot picture an engagement ring without picturing this one, this is the page.
Quoted on the stone · No list price · Last updated 2026-10-05
Why the round brilliant is the default
Brightness. No other shape returns as much light, which is why a round of a lower grade can outshine a fancy shape of a higher one. Symmetry: there is no orientation to get wrong, no bow-tie, no corners to protect. And cut grading: the round is the only shape GIA and IGI give a formal cut grade to, so Excellent or Ideal on the certificate actually means something you can rely on.
The cost is the cost. A round wastes more of the rough crystal than any other shape, so it is the most expensive per carat. You are paying for the stone that was cut away. For the same budget, an oval or a cushion will be a bigger stone.
- Six claws or four
- Six is the classic solitaire setting and the most secure. Four shows more of the stone and reads a little more modern. On a round, both are correct.
- Cut grade
- Ask for Excellent or Ideal, with Excellent polish and symmetry. On a round this matters more than colour or clarity, and it is the grade we will not compromise on.
- Colour
- G to H reads white in any metal. D to F is colourless and the difference is only visible side by side. In yellow gold, down to I reads warm rather than yellow.
How carat reads in a round
A 1 carat round is about 6.5 millimetres across. A 1.5 carat is about 7.4 millimetres, a 2 carat about 8.2 and a 3 carat about 9.4. The jumps get smaller as the weight goes up, which is why a 2 carat round does not look twice the size of a 1 carat. A fine band makes any of them read larger.
If you want the brightness of a round in a bigger-looking stone, lab-grown is the obvious route: the saving over a natural diamond goes straight into the carat.
How a ring is made here
The process is the same for every ring. We talk, by video or in person in Bengaluru. We source the stone for you and send its certificate. A designer draws the ring and you approve the renders before any metal is poured. The makers we work with cut and set it in 18k gold or 950 platinum. You see photographs of the finished ring before it ships, insured and tracked, with an insurance valuation in the box.
Every stone comes with its certificate: GIA for lab-grown diamonds, IGI for natural diamonds and GRA for moissanite. The report number is yours to look up on the lab's own site before the ring is made.
Questions people ask
Why is a round more expensive than other shapes?
Cutting a round brilliant discards more of the rough crystal than any other shape, so each carat of finished stone costs more rough to produce. The brightness is the return on that.
Six claw or four claw: which is more secure?
Six, by a margin: if one claw is damaged the stone is still held by five. Four claws are perfectly secure in 18k gold or platinum when cut properly, and they show more stone. Choose by look unless you are hard on your hands.
What cut grade should I ask for?
Excellent on GIA or Ideal on IGI, with Excellent polish and symmetry. On a round the cut grade is the single biggest factor in how it sparkles, more than colour or clarity.
What does a 1 carat round look like on a hand?
About 6.5 millimetres across, which on an average hand is a clear, classic solitaire without being a statement. On a fine band it reads larger. We can send a video of a 1 carat and a 1.5 carat side by side.
Does a round hide inclusions?
Better than any other shape. The brilliant faceting scatters light so an SI1 round is often eye-clean. We tell you honestly for each stone whether anything is visible to the eye.
Start with the round
Tell us the carat, the stone type and the metal, and we will send Excellent-cut rounds to compare, each with its certificate and a quote. Renders of the ring follow, and nothing is made until you approve them.