Looking for an expert guide on trillion cut diamonds?
Perfect, you're in the right place!
In this LearningJewelry.com guide, you'll learn:
- What is a trilliant diamond?
- Pros and cons of trillion cut diamonds?
- How to save money when buying a trillion cut?
- Where is the best online store to buy a trillion cut diamond?
- And much more!
Bottom Line for Trillion Cut Diamond Rings
Trillion cut diamonds are a truly unique and beautiful option for an engagement ring, but they can be really hard to find. If you manage to find this rare diamond shape, treat it with care.
They are triangular shaped diamonds that can have pointed edges or flat edges. The style is great for those looking for a more sleek and a modern design.
But it's not all roses for trillion cut diamonds, because they can be fickle. Because of their edges, most trillion cut diamonds have to be set in protective ring settings like flush settings or bezel settings. Pointed shapes are more prone to chipping, so just make sure it's in a setting that will protect those edges.
What Is a Trillion Cut Diamond?
There's a little bit of debate in the diamond world about the origin of trillion cut diamonds. Some attribute the 1970s as the time period, but that's when the name was trademarked. Most can agree the triangular cut diamonds came from Amsterdam, around the 18th century.
Trillion cut diamonds can also be referred to as triangle cuts, trillians, or trilliants. The name trillion was trademarked by the Henry Meyer Diamond Company, but nearly all triangular diamonds are called by the brand name anyway.
Pros and Cons of Trillion Cut Diamonds
As with any diamond shape, the trillion cut has both highlights and drawbacks.But are these drawback deal breakers? You be the judge.
Pros
Size
Most diamond buyers equate carat weight with the actual size of a diamond. While we can know the general carat sizes of a one carat round cut diamond, most people don't realize how small it is to other diamond shapes of the same carat weight.
The marquise diamond shape has the largest visible surface area of all the shapes. This means that a one carat marquise will look bigger than any other 1 carat shape. Trillion cut diamonds are the second largest looking diamond shape.
Many fiances dream of a large diamond in the center of their engagement ring, but many don't get the opportunity. Buying a trillion cut diamond will allow you to get a larger stone without paying the typical cost of a 1 carat round cut diamond.
Price
The round cut diamond is the most expensive diamond shape out there, as well the smallest, which is kind of a bummer for the customer. I mean, paying more and visibly smaller? A trilliant on the other hand, is much less expensive than many diamond shapes.
Style
Trilliants are undoubtedly a unique shape and they're very eye-catching because of this unique expression of individuality. They are excellent for those seeking a modern-looking engagement or wedding ring.
James Allen 14K Rose Gold Three Stone Trillion And Pavé Diamond Engagement Ring
If you're someone who does things outside the norm, or maybe can't stand the idea of a traditional dainty ring, maybe the bold triangular design with sleek and sharp edges might be the right look for you.
Trillion cuts are hard to come buy, especially ones of high quality. But if you do have one, you'll be one of the few compared to one of the many. Chances are, you'll be the only one of your friends with a trillion engagement ring.
Read also: Best places to find engagement rings online
Cons
Prone to Chipping
You might've heard that diamonds are the hardest known mineral, which is true. Diamonds reach a 10 on the Moh hardness scale. The Mohs scale lets us know which gemstones and minerals are the most scratch proof. Diamonds are at the top. The problem is that many people confuse the word "hardness" and equate it to "unbreakable."
The truth is, any gemstone can break or chip. Certain diamond shapes are more prone to chipping than others, due to sharp edges. Trillions are one of them. However, you can minimize the risk of chipping of a trillion by observing the style of the diamond.
Pay attention to the edges of loose trilliants. Some have rounded edges while others have flat edges. Flat edges are more linear and pointy, so they're more likely to break off when hit.
Hard to Find
While trillion cut diamonds are unique, it can be very difficult to find one if you're looking for a center stone. Now, if you're looking for trilliant diamond pairs, that'll be easier to find. You might wonder why it's so difficult to find these shapes. Well, it has to do with the delicate nature of them.
You already know that trilliants are prone to chipping, which is why they require protective ring settings, which also limits some of the diamond's beauty.
So, in order to have both a beautiful ring and unique trillion diamond, most have to go the way of custom making the ring by a jeweler. Trilliants are difficult to set and take a very skilled jeweler. It's more time consuming and the labor costs more, so they'll be difficult to find.
Keep in mind while the diamond itself may be cheaper than other diamond shapes like pear cut, ring settings might cost more. When buying a trillion or customizing a ring setting for it, make sure the diamond has V-prongs. V prong settings make sure every side of the trilliant is protected.
Read also: The complete guide to halo settings
Are Trillion Cut Diamonds Popular (Yes or No)?
As far as popular diamond cuts go, you'll probably have a hard time finding a trillion cut diamond, especially if you're looking for a loose diamond. You'll find round brilliants and princess cut diamonds galore, but a trillion? Not so much.
You'll find that trillion cut diamonds are used more as accent stones in an engagement ring rather than as a center stone. Trillion cut diamonds require special care when setting, so many online dealers won't include them in their online diamond inventory.
Trillion cut stone shapes are common in colored gemstone jewelry. Check out this gorgeous 1 carat triangular cut blue sapphire from our friends over at James Allen. And it's less than $500!
You'll notice the small chip in the video. This is an example of why you won't see diamond trilliant center stones. In colored gemstone jewelry, the cut of the stone is not as important as it is to a diamond.
Diamonds depend on their transparency and light performance, while colored gemstones focus more on their color. Trillions are delicate, so they don't make the ideal diamond shape.
How to Choose a Trillion Cut Diamond?
All diamond shapes follow the 4Cs of diamond quality: cut, clarity, color, and carat. This is standard in which all diamonds are graded, set forth by the GIA. Trillion cuts don't usually have grading reports because they aren't popular as center stones.
Most people don't get accent diamonds graded, but there are some that do. Regardless, there are some general guidelines you should consider when evaluating each of these factors on a trillion cut diamond.
Cut
The most important factor in any diamond is the cut quality. Diamond cut is the foundation of your stone. If the stone isn't cut properly your diamond won't reflect light and give off that gorgeous brilliance.
Unlike round brilliant diamonds, the trillion cut has no set standard for perfection. In fact, no other shape does either. You can find "ideal cut" princess and cushion cut diamonds, but it's not an official term. These diamond shapes are cut into a small range of dimensions and proportions that are considered to be the best. But it's not an exact science.
Princess cut trillion diamond at James Allen
Trillions are the same way. Because a trillion offers more surface area than most cuts, it means that it has less depth. It's also what makes the diamond look larger. Diamond shapes with less depth have to be cut carefully, because they are notorious for being cut too shallow.
If a trillion cut diamond is cut too shallow, it will sacrifice overall brilliance and fire. It'll look big, but a diamond isn't worth its size if it doesn't scintillate right. Check your trillion's depth percentage. Ideal depth for trillions are between 32 and 48%. The recommended diamond table size for trillions is between 50-70%. The length-to-width ratio should be 1 or 1.1.
Clarity
Trilliants are brilliant cut diamonds. Brilliant cut diamond shapes include your round brilliants, cushion cuts, princess cut, pear cut, marquise cut, and even when buying radiant cut diamonds. These diamond shapes have many short and choppy facets, creating a glittering effect.
Step cut diamonds are cut with long facets, which create a dramatic flash when light is reflected. Step cut diamond shapes include Asscher cuts, and emerald cut diamonds.
Read also: The complete guide to emerald cut diamonds
Brilliant cut diamonds are much better at hiding clarity characteristics, also known as diamond inclusions. This means that you can pay less for clarity grades in brilliant cut diamond shapes, but might end up paying more in step-cut shapes.
Nevertheless, when buying a trillion, you should choose and eye-clean diamond, or a diamond free of visible inclusions to the naked eye. You don't need to pay the cost of a flawless diamond or even a VVS diamond, but you don't want any unsightly inclusions either.
You should keep an open mind when selection diamond clarity for trillion cut diamonds, due to the lack of availability. We recommend buying SI or VS clarities for trillion diamonds.
Color
Like other diamond cuts, trillions don't need superior diamond color. It's unnecessary to get a colorless diamond, when a near colorless grade will look just as great. This is also a benefit of brilliant cut diamonds. Step cut diamonds reveal color more, so they need both higher clarity and color grades.
A cool trick is to choose a color grade that matches your jewelry metal. A yellow gold piece of jewelry will make lower color grades like J much whiter than they look in a white gold setting. J color diamonds are normally viewed as faint yellow, but when set next to a yellow metal, it looks whiter. This goes the same for rose gold.
So, if you've picked out a yellow or rose gold ring setting for your trillion, a color grade of J or better will do. If you're eyeing a white gold or platinum ring setting, choose H and above.
Read also: Pros and cons of white gold jewelry
Carat
Carat weight is the least important factor when choosing a trillion cut diamond and most other shapes. Some diamond shapes like a heart cut diamond won't look great under 1 carat, especially as a solitaire. You start to miss the divet that makes it look like a heart if it's too small. But with trillions, you should just be careful with larger carat weights since they stick out more.
Where to Buy the Best Trillion Cut Diamond?
Trillion cut diamond center stones are incredibly difficult to find both online and in-store. If you're looking for a trillion diamond as your main stone, a great option is to check a local jeweler for a custom design. Keep in mind that you'll also pay labor, unlike shopping for a diamond at an online vendor.
Most of these recommended retailers will sell engagement rings with trillions as accent stones, not center stones.
If none of these particular retailers are quite right for you, your best bet is to look for a local jeweler that carries loose diamonds and can do custom settings.
What Are the Best Settings for Trillion Cut Diamonds?
Trillion diamond ring settings are tricky, so they might be limited in style. Remember, trillion diamonds need to have protective settings, like a bezel setting or flush setting.
Here are some of our favorite ring settings for trillion cut diamonds.
14K White Gold Hexagonal Trilliant Side Stone Diamond Engagement Ring
