Did you know that princess cut diamond jewelry is the second most popular type of diamond jewelry sold in the US today, the first being round brilliant diamond jewelry? While we love the intricate designs created by the combinations of diamond shapes and colors, unlike our love for luxurious and ornate jewelry, it seems that women are drawn to two of the most simple diamond shapes; the round brilliant diamond is a shape based on the circle and the second most popular, the princess cut, is a shape based on the square.
History of the Princess Cut Diamond:
Princess cut diamond jewelry is modern. While some of the vintage cuts have been used for more than a century, the princess cut only dates back to the 1960s. A. Nagy, who was looking to design a cut that could become a more economical version of the round brilliant, introduced it in London. He wanted to cut the diamond in such a way that more of the rough stone could be preserved and the diamond would still achieve the fire and sparkle of the brilliant cut. This has lead some in the industry to call the Princess the square modified brilliant.
What are Princess Cut Diamonds?
While looking down at a princess cut diamond in a jewelry setting we see a square, when the average person pictures a loose diamond stone in their mind, they are often picturing the shape of the princess in its entirety. It has a square crown, or top with a varying number of facets, that tapers to a triangular pavilion, or bottom, looking much like a pyramid. It combines various elements of stepped cut stones like the emerald and the asscher cuts, which makes the princess a mixed cut diamond. It also shares very similar characteristics of the most popular round brilliant. One reason that princess diamond jewelry is popular is that it offers a sparkle very near to the sparkle of a round brilliant diamond. Also, it can cost less than other diamond cuts because the princess works to minimize flaws that the diamond may have so they will not be visible to the naked eye.
Another cost saving features is that while the average diamond cut can only use about 40 - 50% of the original rough stone, the Princess can utilize more of the rough diamond than any other cut. While the circular round brilliant cut is the most popular, it does cost more than the princess because more of the rough stone must be cut away to achieve the shape. This means that a single carat princess cut diamond will sell for around the same price of an.80-carat round brilliant diamond.
Uses of the Square Diamond:
Princess cut diamonds are found in jewelry of all types including: diamond stud earrings, tennis bracelets, and diamond necklaces, but most often in engagement rings. The square shape of princess cut diamond jewelry makes the stone perfect for modern designs, but like all diamonds, will sparkle in any style setting.