Your Hand Size and the Ideal Diamond Shape for You

There are ten common diamond shapes: round, princess, cushion, asscher, emerald, oval, pear, marquise, heart, and radiant. While many people select their engagement ring’s diamond shape based on its style, there’s another (often overlooked) factor to consider: how the shape will look on your hand.

Often, people find that they love the look of a certain diamond shape when they see it in pictures or on other people, then find that they just don’t love how it looks on them. This is because diamond shapes can look very different depending on the size and shape of your hand. So what’s the ideal diamond shape for your hand size and shape? Below, we’re taking a closer look at which diamond shapes tend to look best on different hands. We’ll talk about why certain diamond shapes may be more flattering for you and we’ll also give some tips on how to use ring settings to your advantage to flatter your fingers.

Diamond Shapes for Small Hands

When selecting a diamond shape for smaller hands, proportion is key. Smaller diamonds in general tend to look best on small hands, since this balanced proportion is aesthetically pleasing. There are a few shapes that tend to look stunning on small hands: round, asscher cut, and princess cut diamonds. These shapes have more depth than surface area when compared to other diamond shapes, so they look perfectly proportioned on small hands.

There is one exception to this “smaller and more compact is better for small hands” rule, however. If you have small hands but also have short fingers, you may prefer the look of a diamond that has an elongating effect. Oval shaped, pear shaped, and marquise cut diamonds are all excellent for elongating the fingers.

For ring settings for small hands, we recommend selecting a simple setting that doesn’t have large side stones. Large side stones can often look unbalanced on smaller hands. Some excellent setting options for small hands include slim solitaire bands and elegant split shank bands. If you have a smaller hand but still want diamond accents on your engagement ring setting, we generally recommend selecting a setting with pave diamonds. Pave diamonds add beautiful shimmer, yet still look quite delicate and harmonious with more petite hands.

Diamond Shapes for Wider Hands or Fingers

Those who have wider hands or fingers often love diamond shapes that provide a slimming effect. Some diamond shapes that are particularly good for this include oval shaped, marquise cut, emerald cut, and radiant cut diamonds. Then, larger diamonds in general also tend to look best on wider hands. So some of the most flattering diamonds for wider hands and fingers tend to be long fancy shapes with higher carat weights. (Note: If you want a larger looking diamond but a hefty carat weight center stone won’t fit in your budget, a halo setting is a great way to visually amp up the size of a smaller diamond.)

As far as ring settings go for wider hands or fingers, we recommend going for a more bold setting, rather than a delicate setting. Wider, more sizable settings tend to look harmonious and balanced with wider hands and fingers. Some great setting options for wider fingers include medium to wide solitaire bands, three stone settings, halo settings, and modern settings with bold asymmetrical details.

Diamond Shapes for Slim Hands or Long Fingers 

If you’re looking for a diamond shape for slim hands or long fingers, you many options. Your ideal diamond shape will depend on the type of effect you want when wearing your engagement ring. If you love the look of your long fingers, you can accentuate this by going with an elongated fancy shaped diamond. Or, if you would prefer to balance out the length of your fingers, you can go with a symmetrical diamond shape, like a round, princess cut, or asscher cut diamond.

For long and slender hands, we generally recommend selecting a wider engagement ring setting. Wider ring settings work beautifully with longer hands, since they look proportional. Some excellent setting options for longer hands include wide solitaire bands, double bands, and triple bands.

Final Thoughts on the Ideal Diamond Shape for You

We hope that this guide to finding the ideal diamond shape for your hand size has been helpful! While this guide includes many tips on how to flatter your fingers, we do want to mention that, at the end of the day, there are no hard rules on which diamond shape you should pick. The most important thing about your engagement ring is that you love it. So if you find that you’re drawn to a diamond shape that may not be perfectly flattering for your fingers, we advise you to follow your heart.