That first response is worth keeping. Learning the vocabulary can help you investigate a preference without handing the decision over to a chart of what you are supposed to like.
Give your eye a little variety
Begin by looking at several shapes at a comfortable pace. Compare them in settings of a similar scale where possible, then try a shape in more than one design. A stone that seems formal in one setting may feel relaxed in another.
Look at the outline from the distance at which you usually see your own hand. Notice whether you enjoy a clear geometric line, a rounded edge or a more unusual silhouette. Try to describe the response in ordinary language before searching for a technical reason to support it.
Do the same with earrings or a pendant. A shape can look different when it is close to the face, suspended on a chain or sitting across a finger. You may prefer different forms for different pieces. A consistent personal style does not require repeating one outline everywhere.
Keep shape and the whole piece in view
The outline is one part of a diamond's appearance. The way the stone is cut, its proportions, the setting and the light around it also affect what you see. Two stones sharing a shape name can still create different visual impressions.
Ask to compare actual stones in ordinary lighting as well as the jeweller's display light. Move them slowly. If an area of darkness, a proportion or a particular pattern catches your attention, ask about it. The explanation should help you understand the stone you are considering.
Review the report appropriate to that stone, and ask what it assesses. Avoid assuming that one label or grade tells you everything you need to know about every shape. You can combine documentation with time spent looking at the piece itself.
Let comfort have a vote
Try the finished design, or the closest available sample, rather than imagining the outline alone. Notice the height of the setting and how the edges sit against your other fingers. Consider the work your hands do and any clothing the piece will often touch.
An elongated shape may appeal to you visually, but your preferred setting might be lower or turned in a different direction. A smaller stone may create exactly the balance you enjoy. These are design decisions to explore with a jeweller, rather than corrections to the way your body looks.
Take a simple photograph if the appointment allows it. Revisit it later alongside your notes about comfort and scale. An image is useful for remembering an impression; it cannot reproduce the whole experience of seeing a stone move through light.
Eventually, you may find yourself returning to the first shape that caught your eye. Or an unexpected one may become clearer with time. Give that discovery room. Your taste can be informed, considered and still wonderfully particular to you.
