In Pictures: America's Most Popular Diamond Cuts

Round

With one out of every three diamonds sold in the U.S. being a classic round brilliant diamond, this cut is far and away the most popular.

Scarlett Johansson and singer Fergie both sport classic rounds.
Princess

The princess diamond was created in 1980 but has catapulted into massive popularity, making it the second-most popular diamond cut in the U.S. Diamond analyst Kenneth Gassman estimates that princess cut diamonds make up approximately 13% to 20% of diamond sales.

Freddie Prinze Jr. proposed to Sarah Michelle Gellar with a princess cut.

Emerald

The third-most popular cut has long clear "step cuts," which emphasize the diamond's clarity and gives it a more subtle appearance than the "brilliant" cuts of most diamonds.

Nick Cannon proposed to Mariah Carey with a reported $2.5 million emerald-cut diamond.

Pear Shape

The pear shape, the fifth-most popular diamond, is also called a "tear drop" for its single point and rounded end.

The most famous pear-shaped diamond has to be the 69-carat pear-shaped diamond given to Elizabeth Taylor by her fifth and sixth husband Richard Burton. Taylor wore the Taylor-Burton diamond in a necklace.


Asscher

The Asscher cut has been around for a century but soared in popularity, especially in Hollywood, after being featured in an episode of Sex and the City in which nice-guy Aidan proposed to protagonist Carrie Bradshaw.

Kate Hudson and Elizabeth Hurley were both given Asscher cuts by their soon-to-be husbands.

Source: Kenneth Gassman, The Diamond Source of Virginia, Blue Nile.
source : http://forbeslife.nl/2009/04/17/engagement-weddings-diamonds-forbes-woman-style-retail_slide.html?partner=contextstory

Citrine Jewelry

Aquamarine - Jewelry photos

Amethyst

Jewelry Art Awards 2007 of Jewelry Artist Magazine

source : Jewelry Artist

Jewelry Artist is pleased to announce the winners of our 2007 Jewelry Arts Awards. Entries for our sixth annual competition were judged by Todd Reed, a self-taught goldsmith and metalsmith who has been exploring the use of rough diamonds in his award-winning, signature jewelry since 1992; Robert Diamante, a professional photographer who has been photographing jewelry for the craft industry since 1993; and Thomas Mann, a jeweler committed to both the artistic and business sides of jewelry making, who has been active in the contemporary craft movement for more than 30 years.

Congratulations to the winners and our thanks to the judges and everyone who entered.

Jewelry Arts Awards 2007 Winners

Miscellaneous Jewelry

First Place: Daniel M. Nagy - Best of Competition
(also First Place, Miscellaneous Jewelry) Frutto di Mare

14K yellow and white gold 353.5g, 3pcs Tahitian pearls 9mm semi baroque, 2pcs 10.5 round AAA grade 86 pcs, 1.659 ct. brilliant cut diamonds. Wax carved and chased shells, hand cut handpiece, and engraved gemstone buttons. Original electronics only; workable inner part is rebuilt based on design and requirements. 200mm x 80mm x 70mm.
Photo: Arion Kudasz Gabor.

Miscellaneous Jewelry

First Place: Daniel M. Nagy, Frutto di Mare, above.
Second Place: Blue Moon, Marie Scarpa

Maria Scarpa, Second Place
Miscellaneous Jewelry
Blue Moon, 18K gold and platinum, hand fabricated pin/pendant; bezel-set 18mm 7.15ct abalone pearl center and 64 spires divided into 3 levels. Woven, invisibly soldered. Embellished with 28 round faceted 2.0mm pink sapphires, 4 round faceted 2.5mm yellow sapphires, eight round faceted 2.5mm blue sapphires, 4 round faceted 2.9mm blue sapphires, 16 round faceted 3.0mm teal green tourmalines, 4 round faceted 3.5mm teal green tourmalines. Hand fabricated and hand woven. 2.25".

Earrings

First Place (tied): Dream Catcher, Jeffrey Appling
First Place (tied): Whirlpool, Daniel M. Nagy

Jeffrey Appling, First Place (tied)
Earrings (above)
Dream Catcher, platinum chain, 18K yellow and white gold. Two half-moon diamonds, two 5-point-star diamonds, six natural yellow diamonds, 2mm square and round ruby, blue and yellow sapphire, spessartite, tsavorite, blue/green tourmaline, amethyst, two half-moon drusy onyx tablets. Cast manufacture, hand fabrication, bezel, tube, bead, and mock (bead) setting for cubes. 62mm x 26.5mm.
Photo: Hap Sakwa.

Daniel M. Nagy. First Place (tied)
Earrings
Whirlpool, 18K white gold, 15.5g. Tahitian pearl AAA, 10mm round 2pcs. Computer designed, wax printed, chased, hand finished. 120mm x 20mm x 20mm.
Photo: Daniel M. Nagy.

Rings

First Place: Pearl Protrusion, Jeffrey Appling
Second Place: Message, Daniel M. Nagy and Agnes Kertesz

Jeffrey Appling, First Place
Rings (above)
Pearl Protrusion, 950 platinum, 8.5mm faceted black cultured pearl and 8.5mm faceted white cultured pearl, tsavorite garnets and pink sapphires. Hand carved wax and of cast manufacture, bead-set small round gemstones and hand carved (artwork) along outside borders. 10.5mm x 20mm. Photo: Hap Sakwa.

Daniel M. Nagy & Agnes Kertesz, Second Place
Rings (above)
Message, 18K white gold 10.8g, Tahitian pearl AAA round 1pc 9.4mm, brilliant cut diamonds. 20mm x 15mm.

Bracelets

First Place: Salad Blues, Laura Parr
Second Place: Dragon of 4 Elements, Dmitriy Pavlov

Laura Parr, First Place
Bracelets (above)
Salad Blues, forged and riveted sterling silver sheet, wire, tube, copper sheet; ten 1.5 millimeter, tube-set and riveted sapphires; ink. 51mm x 82mm x 72mm.
Photo: Jeremy Addington.



Dmitriy Pavlov, Second Place
Bracelets (above)
Dragon of 4 Elements, pierced, bent, and engraved sterling silver. 51mm x 82mm x 72mm.
Photo: Galina Pavlova.

Pins & Brooches

First Place: Inception, Tricia Lachowiec
Second Place: Star, Wendy McAllister

Tricia Lachowiec, First Place
Pins/Brooches (above)
Inception, 18K gold on sterling silver, copper, enamel, diamond, steel. Chasing and repoussé, enameling. 23⁄4" x 1-5⁄8" x 3⁄4".
Photo: Dean Powell.
Wendy McAllister, Second Place
Pins/Brooches (above)
Star, sterling silver, acrylic, lenticular lens, 24K gold leaf, fabricated silver brooch, fabricated double pinstem back; found objects: candle bobeche and child’s ruler. 3.5".
Photo: Ralph Gabriner.

Pendants & Necklaces

First Place: Mary Darwall
Second Place (tied): Evolution, Jeffrey Appling
Second Place (tied): Fruit, Tricia Lachowiec

Mary Darwall, First Place
Pendants/Necklaces (above)
Eleven turquoise cabochons, turquoise beads, freshwater pearls, glass seed beads, beading cloth, nylon thread, 49-strand wire, 14K closure, leather backing. Hand needle woven, bead appliqué, freeform peyote, branching stitches. 18".
Photo: John Yohman.
Jeffrey Appling, Second Place (tied)
Pendants/Necklaces (above)
Evolution, 30.37ct drilled citrine intruded with malachite, coral, and lapis tubes, 3.66cts. Drilled-out citrine pavilion injected with gemstones, pendant area cast, and hand fabricated. 16", 30.5mm x 33mm.
Photo: Hap Sakwa.

Tricia Lachowiec, Second Place (tied)
Pendants/Necklaces (above)
Fruit, oxidized sterling silver, electroformed copper, enamel, 14K gold, cognac diamonds, sapphires. Electroforming and enameling. 10" x 6-1⁄4" x 1-1⁄4".
Photo: Dean Powell.

source : Jewelry Artist