The vast majority of diamond certificates come with a diamond cut rating. So, if two diamonds that have the same color, clarity and carat weight, have different cuts, the one with a superior cut rating will come at a higher price.

It is worth mentioning that the rest of the Cs are easy to understand and even a beginner in this field will figure out how they work after a short period.

On the other hand, the diamond cut is a more complex topic.

There are different techniques used for evaluating the diamond’s cut grade and many of the diamond certificates are not providing details about the diamond’s cut grade.

In case you are planning on purchasing a diamond, it is a smart idea to take some time and learn more about the meaning of different types of diamond cuts, how they are identified and how they affect the price of the diamond. In this way, you will get a chance to make a better decision and make sure that you are not paying more than you will get.

Diamond cut explained

To put it simply, a diamond cut is a term that is used to describe the light performance of any diamond. This means that different grades explain the level to which a specific diamond keeps and reflects the light that goes through it.

Generally speaking, diamonds with good cuts provide stunning reflections and possess a high amount of sparkle. Diamonds that simply redirect the light all the way to the bottom or one side are probably but very deep or shallow. That’s why they have lower cut ratings.

Due to the fact that it is generally accepted that the above mentioned brilliance or sparkles provide the unique nature and beauty to the diamonds, it is quite natural to presume that the diamond cut is what makes some diamonds special.

Keep in mind that when we say cut, we mean the actual cut, not the shape.

In case you’ve been searching for the best diamond, you have probably seen some terms like an emerald cut, Asscher cut, Princess cut etc. These are not actual cuts. These terms represent the shape of the diamond and they have nothing to do with the cut grade.

Grades of diamond cut

Before we go into details, let us say that there is no official system for grades of diamond cut accepted internationally.

There are different certifying authorities, and each of them uses a unique rating system. That’s why this issue can become a little bit problematic.

The good news is that the grades are usually easy to understand although the techniques used to determine these grades are not always clear. In most cases, reputable certifiers rely on grading systems that have 5 or 6 categories.

• Fair or Poor – these diamonds have a weak ability to reflect light.
• Good – diamonds that showcase a respectable level of reflectiveness, typically diamonds which have been cut for size, not brilliance.
• Very Good – diamonds that have only minimal light leakage.
• Premium – almost ideal diamonds.
• Ideal – diamonds with the highest possible level of brilliance.

We have to point out one more time that the terms used for diamond cuts can be different.

For instance, the GIA (Gemological Institute of America), which is one of the most respected authorities in this field, has a system that has 5 levels – Poor, Fair, Good, Very Good and Excellent.

As you can see, their Excellent diamond cut grade is the same as the Ideal diamond cut grade used by other institutes.

In addition, there are some diamond sellers that use unique terms for their most attractive diamond cuts. They usually use their brand name as part of the diamond cut name.

Determining diamond cut grades

Now here’s the most complex topic. The techniques and methods utilized for determining cut quality are not the same.

What’s even worse is that even the most reputable organizations in this field are not providing information about the exact methods they use to assess the grades of diamond cuts. They keep this information as sensitive.

It is worth mentioning that the shape of the diamond plays a role in determining cut grades.

Even though there are some common criteria used for all types of diamonds, the specific techniques used to assess a heart-shaped diamond cut are not the same as the ones used for assessing round diamond cut, for example.

Due to the fact that round diamonds are dominating the market, we will focus on these diamonds and use them as an example. The number of facets present in the round diamond is one of the main factors that have an impact on the cut rating of these diamonds.

They represent flat, clearly visible areas present on the surface of the stone. These facets are typically triangular in round diamonds.

At this moment, experts consider round diamonds that have 33 facets on the crown and 25 on the pavilion to be ideal round diamonds. In case there are impurities and imperfections present on the diamond’s surface, diamond cutters usually add a few facets to cover these imperfections. A diamond like this will have a lower cut grade.

Which diamond cut is the best value for money?

Most of us have a specific budget designed for this purpose and the diamond cut you select should match your budget.

Generally speaking, buying a very good or good diamond cut grade will always pay off if you are an average buyer.

The difference in quality between Excellent and Very Good diamond cut is not noticeable, at least not to the naked eye, and the price difference is significant.

Obviously, you should take a closer look at the other three Cs when making an important decision like this.

The post Diamond Cut: A Few Things Everyone Should Know About Diamond Cuts appeared first on Rock My Diamond.

They are also one of the most popular precious stones on the global market.

People have always respected these gemstones due to their impressive appearance and great properties.

Of course, not all of the diamonds are the same. Some of them are much more valuable than the others and the size of diamonds is not always the main factor in the evaluation of diamonds.

Actually, there are four basic characteristics which help jewelers and buyers determine the price and true value of diamonds – carat weight, clarity, color, and cut.

Due to the fact that we are talking about Princess cut diamond rings in this article, we will focus on the cut.

The importance of cut

The cut of any diamond is among the most important characteristics that the diamond has.

With its help, it is possible to boost the value, quality and overall beauty of the gemstone.

If you take a closer look at the situation on the market, you will notice that there is a wide array of cuts and each cut comes with unique impacts on three distinctive features in diamonds.

Namely, the cut affects the brightness, fire, and scintillation of diamonds.

The brightness represents the level of light that is reflected by the diamond.

The fire is actually the palette of colors that diamonds show off.

Finally, the scintillation represents the brilliance and sparkle that is created when the diamonds are moved.

Brightness, fire, and scintillation at diamonds

When the diamond is cut well, the light has a chance to enter the diamond directly through the top flat facet (also known as the table) and go through the pavilion. At this point, the light is reflected and spread right through the diamond’s crown where it creates a special effect.

Sadly, in diamonds that are not cut well, a certain amount of light is lost through the girdle and as a result of that, the sparkle of diamonds is minimized.

Generally speaking, the quality of any diamond cut is related to the polish and symmetry, and the proportions of the angle of the crown, the size of the table and the depth of the pavilion.

Typically, the higher the number of facets in a diamond, the more sparkle and brilliance you can expect.

But, the pavilion dept can also affect these two things.

Namely, if the pavilion depth is too big or small, the light is lost.

Now that you have learned more about the importance of cut, it’s time to talk about the main feature of any princess cut diamond ring – the princess cut itself.

What is the princess cut?

The latest reports have shown that Princes cut is the second most popular type of cut for diamonds.

The frontal shape of this cut is rectangular or square while the profile looks similar to an inverted pyramid.

What is interesting is that the princess cut is often considered to be a new diamond cut. It was in the 1960s when this cut appeared for the first time.

But, even when it appeared it didn’t grab the attention of the public right away.

The fact is that people have started buying princess cut diamonds in the last two decades because most people have become fed up with the brilliant cut.

Keep in mind that a princess cut that comes with exactly the same width as the round brilliant cut’s diameter will be heavier because it has four corners.

Another important thing that you should remember is that princess diamond cuts were inspired by the French cut and the modifications of this cut like Cross and Double French cut.

Arpad Nagy of London was the jeweler that introduced this cut in the 1960s. He advertised the princess cut as a mixed cut which contains elements of standard round brilliant cut and step cuts like the Asscher cut and Emerald cut.

As we said before, the princess cut comes with unique, specific, rounded corners that are growing from the foundation of the diamond. It has similar facets to the ones found in round brilliant diamonds and that’s why they have similar brilliance and sparkle.

Finally, princess cut diamonds, similar to many other non-round gemstones, are available in different dimensions, even though they tend to have a narrow range.

The majority of these diamonds have a length to width ratio of 1.0.

In other words, they have a squared shape, but at the same time their length-width can reach 1.2 and become slightly rectangular.

Reasons to opt for princess cut diamond ring

We have already mentioned that princess cut is the second most popular diamond cut.

Every year, hundreds of people are buying rings that are featuring exactly this kind of cut.

We should also point out that this is the first fancy cut that was able to get AGS status about 13 years ago.

The attractiveness of princess cut comes as a result of its ability to get fire and brilliance reflection that can’t be matched by many diamonds.

While it’s true that the first princess cut was designed in the 1960s, it took a few more years for this cut to be improved. A South African jeweler is the founder of the modern princess cut which was subjected to many patent limitations in the past.

Today, jewelers are free to use the princess cut in any way they want.

The princess cut got its shape thanks to the cutters who were trying to get the most from the weight of diamonds while keeping the extraordinary level of brilliance.

In other words, they were able to reduce the waste from the rough diamonds making these diamonds more affordable.

Of course, you should not expect to find princess cut diamonds of premium quality at a low price.

The factors that contribute to the price of princess cut diamonds

One of the best things about princess cut diamonds is that they are usually cheaper per carat than round brilliant cut diamonds.

We have already mentioned that there is significantly less waste when these diamonds are shaped which is why the price is lower.

Obviously, this doesn’t affect the impressive visual appearance of these diamonds.

But, what are some other factors that contribute to the price of princess cut diamonds?

Color

If you want to get the best princess cut diamonds, you should focus on the gemstones that don’t come with a yellow tint that you can see with a naked eye.

In other words, the minimum grade that you should select is Near Colorless (J, I, H or G grade).

Of course, you can buy a diamond with a higher grade too.

Round cut stones give you more freedom of choice when it comes to colors, but the situation is different with princess cut diamonds and you should not forget that.

As we said, you can opt for a princess cut diamond with a higher color grade like F, E or D, but the truth is that they are much more expensive and the difference is not significant.

Many experts say that this investment is not worth the money. If you want to find out more about diamond color, read the following guide.

Clarity

We have already pointed out that princess cut diamonds have great sparkle and brilliance and the inclusions of the stone are barely visible.

It’s good to know that diamonds of this kind with clarity worse than SI1 are not common.

This is the reason why the simplest method of finding a gemstone with good clarity at a relatively low price is to look for SI1, VS2 or VS1 stones.

Focus on this clarity range and opt for diamonds that don’t have visible inclusions.

In addition, the diamond you find interesting should not exhibit inclusions located on the corners.

This is the Achilles heel of these diamonds and inclusions will put the diamond at risk of chipping in the future.

Carat

There is not much to talk about carat weight as a factor for princess cut diamonds.

Similar to other kinds of diamonds, princess cut diamonds are becoming more expensive once you start looking at diamonds with more carats.

The only thing that you should remember is that the price is not rising proportionally.

A 2-carat princess cut diamond is not just two times more expensive than the 1-carat princess cut diamonds.

The difference is even greater when it comes to 3-carat diamonds which are very rare.

Cut

We have saved one of the most important contributors to the value of a princess cut diamond for the end.

Jewelers and gemologist are still unable to determine the ideal proportions for this kind of cut.

Needless to say, people should look for certified diamonds preferably diamonds with a GIA (Gemological Institute of America) certificate.

But, even in this case, the grading report won’t state the quality of cut. In this case, you will only learn more about the symmetry and polish of the diamond.

What’s known for sure is that high-quality cut will optimize the diamond’s brilliance.

A Short Guide for Buying Princess Cut Diamond Rings

If you are in the process of buying a princess cut diamond, you must ensure that the diamond is placed in a mounting that keeps the corners of the stone protected.

Unfortunately, there are situations when these corners are chipped and that’s why it’s crucial to provide adequate protection.

For example, if you use a V-prong setting, you can rest assured that your diamond is protected well.

Princess cut diamonds have a very beautiful and unique shape that brings a high level of brilliance.

This means that people can use this diamond in any kind of style or setting of the ring.

Yet, there are a few settings that are more popular than the others.

For starters, there are so-called princess cut halo engagement rings.

Many people use the engagement rings to send a message to the world and the attractiveness of a halo ring with a princess cut diamond on it will definitely make the message stronger.

In some cases, people use double halo style.

In most cases, this is a setting which includes pave set diamonds that are placed around the central stone and the band.

There is no doubt that this setting will emphasize the beauty of the ring and make it more visible to the people around you.

Furthermore, there are princess cut solitaire rings which are usually used as engagement rings.

They are the ideal solution for those who want to keep things simple.

The classic solitaire style has been used for many years and it has still not lost its value.

We should also mention the 3-stone princess cut rings.

This is one of the latest trends at least when it comes to engagement rings.

Obviously, this ring includes three princess cut diamonds – typically the larger is placed in the center and one smaller on each side.

Some people think that this is just too much while others are fascinated by the level of fire and brilliance that this specific kind of ring produces.

You can also use other kinds of side stones to emphasize the beauty of princess cut diamond.

While we are talking about princess cut diamond rings, we must analyze the material. A yellow gold ring is a real classic (and classy) solution. However, if you are a little bit tired of this simple and traditional appearance, you can also choose a white gold or platinum princess cut ring. They can be modernized even more with a twist setting. On the other hand, you can make them look more elegant and more traditional by selecting a minimalist look.

There’s no doubt that princess cut diamond rings are a great choice for engagement rings and other types of rings.

If you are planning on buying a ring with this type of diamond, our advice is to look for online diamond stores.

This shopping method will save you time and energy and in some cases money too.

Just follow the tips we have shared in this guide and you should be able to find exactly what you are looking for.

The post Princess Cut Diamond Rings appeared first on Rock My Diamond.