by Jewels
Don’t be fooled by its regal name readers, the princess cut diamond was not actually created for a Persian Princess or anyone similar (they have enough, frankly). It was actually created in foggy London in the 1960s by an innovative diamond cutter named Arpad Nagy (he called it a ‘profile cut’ though). Arpad set out to create a fiery and brilliant alternative to the round diamond we all know and love.
Now referred to as the most popular fancy diamond shape, the princess cut brings a modern, edgy look to diamond jewellery. Preferred by clients who favor a ring that looks a little bit different, especially those who like a more contemporary look. The princess cut works well in many styles, including solitaire and three-stone engagement rings.
The facets on the princess cut allow it to have more brilliance and scintillation than some other fancy shapes, this can hide inclusions and make body colour less noticeable from the face up. It is essentially a square version of the round brilliant and is technically referred to as a “square modified brilliant” cut.
Because the princess cut has straight lines, any variation in symmetry and proportion will be visually obvious, so we advise that proportion, (as with the Cushion cut we spoke about in a previous blog) is no greater than 1:1.05. You can obtain this information from the laboratory grading certificate, and of course you can contact me to discuss the finer details in selecting a beautiful princess cut diamond!
Princess cut diamonds have sharp corners which can be susceptible to chipping and breaking – Contrary to popular belief, diamonds are not indestructible (but they definitely are a girl’s best friend!). You can however, protect the fragile corners by choosing a ring setting which does not leave them exposed. This is something I will always take into consideration and discuss with my clients when designing a ring with a princess cut diamond.
Interestingly, princess cut diamonds do not have what’s known as a culet (a small facet on the bottom tip of a diamond) If there is no culet, the bottom tip is very pointed and can be broken. Protection of this area therefore needs to be considered when deciding on ring design.
One of the biggest pros when it comes to princess cut diamonds is the value for money in your engagement ring. Because the square shape of a princess cut is so similar to the natural shape of the rough diamond, very little is wasted – High Five!
But! Not only will the princess cut help you save a bit of cash on your engagement ring, the shape can also give the illusion of being slightly bigger than their round counterparts, simply because from corner-to-corner a princess cut diamond is spread just a little wider than the diameter of a round diamond shape.
The magic of a princess cut diamond is unmistakable; from its magnificent sparkle to the clean, straight lines of its angular shape, it is a diamond that offers a range of excellent options. It lends itself to unique ring designs for the wearer who wants something different to the traditional round solitaire.
If buying an engagement ring is something you’ve been thinking about, or if you just want more information on our piece then don’t hesitate to get in touch to see what Jewels can do for you.
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