Cut Library — Comparison
Round Brilliant vs Transitional Cut
Round Brilliant
The round brilliant is the standard modern diamond cut: a circular outline faceted specifically to maximise the return of light back to the eye.
Full Round Brilliant guide →Transitional Cut
A transitional cut is a round diamond faceted somewhere between an Old European Cut and a modern round brilliant, reflecting the period — roughly the 1880s to the 1950s — when mechanised cutting was steadily refining proportions from one style toward the other.
Full Transitional Cut guide →| Attribute | Round Brilliant | Transitional Cut |
|---|---|---|
| Culet | Usually none, or a minute point | Small to pointed — shrinking over the period toward a modern pointed culet |
| Outline | Circular | Round |
| Faceting | Modern brilliant | Antique-to-modern brilliant, transitional proportions |
| Crown angle | Typically 34–35° | — |
| Facet count | 57 or 58 (with culet) | — |
| Typical use | Any diamond jewellery | — |
| Availability | Most widely available cut | Uncommon |
| Era | — | c. 1880s-1950s |
| Crown | — | Lower than Old European Cut, higher than modern round brilliant |
| Table | — | Larger than Old European Cut, smaller than a modern round brilliant (roughly 52-54%) |
| GIA grading term | — | Circular brilliant |
Next steps
Browse either cut on Chaos
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