The princess cut diamond is fast becoming one of the most popular cuts, probably because it is square and yet has the sparkle of a round brilliant cut. It is the most popular square cut for diamond engagement rings.
This cut is only about 30 years old. It is a lovely brilliant style shape with sharp, uncut corners. It is typically cut square rather than rectangular. Brilliant style refers to vertical direction crown and pavilion facets instead of step style horizontal facets. It has 76 facetted shapes and so is capable of displaying white flashes of light (brilliance) and lots of multi-coloured flashes of light (fire).
The difference between an excellent or poor cut is that with a poor cut, more weight is located below the edge than any other shape; so its size in millimetres is often the smallest per carat weight and it can therefore look glassy and ‘flat’. At Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery we pride ourselves in only showing our customers the best possible cuts of stone, princess cut or otherwise.
In recent years, with the incredible resurgence in popularity of the square shape diamond, many companies have manufactured a modified square diamond with tapered edges in an effort to minimize light leakage from the corners. A problem with this type of shape is that by tapering the corners of the diamond you are essentially negating the traditional and timeless look of the princess cut diamond. A ‘tapered’ square is not a true square shaped diamond. An additional problem with many of these new square cuts is that, unlike the traditional princess cut diamond shape, these shapes may often have limited staying power and are not always cut for many years. Equally, stones with one or two extra facets (or even more!) that have been patented by companies and profess to add extra fire and brilliance to a stone, do not seem to stick around for long. And who wants an engagement ring that will date?
When we are sourcing a princess cut diamond or gemstone for your engagement ring, we would judge the attractiveness of the shape by looking at the girdle outline with the unaided eye. We ask ourselves if we find it pleasing and are the sides even? We will watch out for girdles which are too thin, because the stone is more prone to chipping.
