Before the invention of mechanized bruting, which diamond shape was easier to cut?

• A. Cushion shape
• B. Emerald cut
• C. Pear
• D. Princess cut

Answer: (A)

When cutting by hand, how forgiving a shape is matters a lot. The cushion shape fits hand-cut work best because its rounded corners and overall outline are more forgiving, reducing the risk of chipping or uneven edges as material is removed. Its facet pattern can be made with simpler, less demanding steps, so a respectable result could be achieved without highly precise machinery.

In contrast, emerald-cut relies on long, flat facets and exacting alignment to preserve its clean step-cut look, which is hard to achieve without precise tools. Pear requires careful balance of length and width and a precise taper to a sharp point, again demanding precision that’s difficult to maintain by hand. Princess cut uses sharp corners and a complex, many-facet layout that modern machinery handles best. Mechanized bruting later made those more demanding shapes feasible, but cushion shapes were clearly easier to produce reliably in the era before automation.