Princess-cut diamonds are available for those wanting a square stone offering a similar brilliance or sparkle of a round-shaped diamond. This stone shape is for the woman who is drawn to the excitement and a true romantic at heart because the princess stone shape is known to manifest beauty, style, and edge.
One of the major downsides of a princess cut diamond is its four pointed corners. Because points are breakable. They're thinner, more fragile, and they have a tendency to snag on all your favorite sweaters.
Brilliant round cut diamonds reflect over 90% of the light that passes through them, whereas princess cut diamonds reflect only 70%. Princess cut diamonds perform brilliantly, but round cut stones take the prize in this comparison.
It is the second most popular shape in the world, with the most popular of all diamond cuts being the traditional round brilliant shape. The brilliant style of cutting the diamond to create a princess shape ensures that the sparkle is high and if there are any inclusions, they are hidden well in this cut.
A princess cut diamond is one that is highly faceted square cut stone, meaning it looks fairly similar to a brilliant cut, but has been adapted to a square shape to increase the brilliance of the stone.
The Princess Cut
While it may appear more impressive to the untrained eye, a princess diamond does not possess the same level of brilliance as a round diamond, and therefore will never cost the same as a round of the same size and quality.
1. A princess-cut diamond can cost 30% less than a round of equivalent carat weight because of the shape of the rough diamond. 2. Princess cuts can often appear larger than rounds because they have such large diagonal measurements.
Radiant Cut
Radiant are square or rectangular brilliant-cut diamonds with cut corners. They are often the most affordable diamond shapes.
Bezel setting: In this setting style, a band of metal surrounds the diamond's girdle. As a result, the diamond's circumference may appear to be larger. Bezel engagement ring settings also afford extra protection against accidental bangs and bumps. TIP: The bezel setting is generally used for round and oval diamonds.
Princess Cuts are less expensive than Round Brilliant diamonds and many other diamond shapes because most of the rough stone is maintained in the cutting process. The Princess Cut is the second most popular diamond shape yet is affordable and offers an exceptional amount of brilliance.
For example, a princess cut diamond will appear larger than a round cut diamond of the exact same carat size. This is because the princess shape has larger tables (the top of a diamond) than round cut stones making them larger in appearance to the naked eye.
It saw its popularity at its peak in the 80s and 90s. The princess cut experienced a rise in popularity from the early 2000s to the mid 2000s. In the 2000s, the most popular engagement ring featured a princess cut diamond surrounded by round brilliant-cut diamonds.
By far the most popular cut is the Round Brilliant, with it's fifty-seven perfectly aligned facets it's brilliance really does out-shine the others. Total internal reflection is the key here; light travels through the stone giving optimum sparkle and scintillation.
Princess cuts are currently more popular than cushion cuts, however, a cushion cut tends to sparkle more than a princess. Choosing between a cushion and a princess cut diamond ring really comes down to style. Couples who choose princess cuts are typically more modern and fashion-conscious.
Some of the most popular wedding bands for a princess cut ring are eternity bands or contoured bands, rings with accent stones along the band that sits snugly against the engagement ring. It's also a great idea to choose a band with baguettes in the same design of the center stone.
The Tiffany True® diamond is a modern mixed cut that combines a step-cut crown and a brilliant-cut pavilion. Unique to Tiffany, this diamond meets the triple excellent grade, the highest cut grade in the industry.
Since a round diamond is thought to hold the most value when compared to the other shapes, it will almost always be given a higher price than any other shape with similar clarity, color, and carat weight.
Round Cut Diamonds Sparkle The Most
The standard round cut diamond comprises 57 facets (58 including one on the bezel). This cut heightens the diamond's sparkle and shine. Because round diamonds have the largest number of facets, they create the most sparkle.
The four shapes that look the largest per carat are (in order of which looks the largest): marquise, pear, oval, and emerald diamonds. Among these shapes, oval diamonds are a top choice among those who want a classic-style engagement ring, yet want to maximize the size of their engagement ring's center diamond.
Moissanites or white sapphires are most comparable to a diamond. While there are visible differences, these gems will look the closest to a diamond while offering a more affordable price. These stones are also high on the Mohs scale of relative hardness, making them suitable for everyday wear.
The round brilliant cut is the most popular shape of diamond. For hundreds of years, diamond cutters have been working with this cut to maximize its brilliance and fire.
The most expensive diamond cut is the round brilliant because it wastes the highest amount of rough stone – around 60% on average – during the cutting process.
What do the numbers 1 and 2 mean? A VS1 diamond has slightly fewer and smaller inclusions than a VS2 diamond. In other words, a VS1 diamond is slightly better than a VS2 diamond.
The most popular diamond cut for engagement rings is round brilliant. Round brilliant-cut diamonds are the quintessential sparklers due to their outstanding light performance and universal shape that works in an endless number of setting styles.