Trend Alert: Fancy shapes that WOW

Gone are the days of women only lusting after the traditional round stone engagement rings. With the growing desire to wear something unique, brides-to-be everywhere are seeking out less traditional, more adventurous stones in unique, less common cuts. We've rallied our GP bridal experts to round up the most popular fancy shapes in engagement rings and showcase these fabulous cuts in some of their favorite settings:

The cushion is essentially the happy medium between a round and a princess cut stone- square in shape but with rounded edges and fuller in the center like (you guessed it) a cushion or pillow. The fullness of the square shape gives it a big look but without harsh corners and edges, it keeps the eye focused within the diamond's brilliance rather than where it ends. Paired with halo, the cushion is great at creating the illusion of a larger stone.

Pictured: Gabriel & Co ? Prong set with cushion center stone and graduated side stones

The emerald cut diamond has become more desirable due to its larger appearance. The average 1 carat emerald cut stone has an average of 5%-10% more surface area than a 1 carat round stone would. Because of its rectilinear shape, it gives the illusion of more slender fingers. The emerald cut stone looks especially great long fingers, with more visual flow than a round or square shape. Additionally, because this classic looking stone has more rectangular facets, the light reflects more subtly than other cuts, giving it a simple but elegant sparkle unique to only this cut.

Pictured: Sylvie ? prong set halo band with emerald cut center stone

The oval is a great alternative for someone who likes the traditional round stone but wants something a little more unique. What sets it apart from its round counterpart is its surface area- they appear larger than a round stone of equal carat weight due to their longer, slender shape. Like the emerald cut, this shape has a slimming effect and makes fingers look longer and more slender, while still maintaining the sparkly brilliance of a traditional round cut.

Pictured: TACORI ? Classic Crescent halo band with oval center stone

And finally, perhaps the most unique is the pear. Named for the fruit who shares its narrow-to-wide teardrop shape, the pear has made a huge comeback in the engagement ring world. The stone's asymmetry makes it a visual intrigue and sets it apart from the collection of geometrically symmetrical cuts. Pear diamonds are also versatile in terms of style- with an eternity band or a simple halo, a pear ring can exude a vintage vibe OR with a more trendy setting and uniquely shaped band to match, the pear can be ultra modern.

Featured: Peter Storm ? Channel set halo setting with pear center stone

BONUS SHAPE: The sidestone edition

Trillion cut diamonds are a less talked about shape, mostly because they are often used as small accents- however trillions have recently picked up speed as larger side stones, especially when paired with colored centers. The equilateral triangle of facets in a trillion stone reflect an incredible amount of light, giving them a unique brilliance comparable to that of its round counterpart. Take this custom peach morganite ring for example- the larger than traditional trillion cuts on the side keep the attention center focused and help to pick up more light, giving the morganite a more brilliant sparkle than it would have on its own.

Pictured: Gerald Peters ? Custom morganite ring with trillion cut side stones