What Is a Princess Cut Diamond?

If you’re familiar with the types of diamond cuts and the difference between an oval vs round cut diamond, then you might have heard of the princess cut diamond. As its name might suggest, a princess cut diamond is an elegant and sophisticated stone with a streamlined fancy shape and an enchanting appearance. It sparkles, unlike any other diamond cut, whether this may be a natural diamond or a lab grown diamond. It appears larger per carat than many other cuts, and is incredibly versatile. It’s a beautiful choice for the center stone of an engagement ring or any piece of jewelry. Here, we’ll answer all of your pertinent questions about this royal diamond cut, including what is a princess cut diamond? What does a princess cut lab created diamond ring look like? And what is the best princess cut diamond to choose?

The History of the Princess Cut Diamond

The modern princess cut diamond didn’t truly surface until the 1980s, but its square-shaped ancestors paved the way. Before the princess shape, there was the French cut diamond, which was also square in shape, making it a popular choice during the Art Deco era when geometric designs were favored. The French cut diamond was popular well before the 1920s, though. This predecessor to the princess cut dates back to the 14th century. It was a popular cut then, and throughout history, because it utilized most of the raw diamond, letting little go to waste. 

Later, in the 1960s, the next iteration of square-shaped diamonds surfaced: the square modified brilliant cut diamond, which took advantage of new knowledge in diamond cutting. As diamond cutting techniques continued to advance, the princess cut diamond was born; a sparkling, square-shaped diamond with 57 brilliant facets. You can learn all about how diamond cut factors into shape, sparkle, and more in our diamond cut guide

Today, the princess cut diamond is the second most popular diamond cut, after round cut engagement rings

What Does a Princess Cut Diamond Look Like? 

A princess cut diamond is square or slightly rectangular in shape with sharp edges and corners that give it a clean, modern look. Princess cut diamonds are particularly appealing when they have a ratio of 1.00 to 1.05 for square shapes or 1.06 to 1.12 for rectangle shapes. What makes this cut most captivating, though, is its incredible sparkle. Because they sparkle so beautifully, princess cuts can often disguise any imperfections or flaws in the stone. However, due to their sharp corners, princess cut diamonds are more vulnerable to damage if there are any flaws near the stone’s corners. Potential damage can be avoided, though, with secure settings such as a bezel setting or a four-prong setting.  

A Princess Cut vs. Other Diamond Cuts

We’ve already touched on sparkle, which is a defining characteristic that sets princess cut diamonds apart from other diamond cuts, but it’s worth noting again. While all well-cut diamonds will give off some level of radiance, the unique cut of a princess diamond gives off more fire and brilliance than all other cuts except the round brilliant cut diamond

Princess cut is also a step above many other diamond cuts in both affordability and size relative to carat weight. As we mentioned, early square cut diamonds were popular because they used a relatively larger portion of the raw stone than other diamond cuts. The same can be said about the modern princess cut diamond. Because this cut utilizes more of the raw diamond, it is more affordable than many other cuts carat for carat. 
Where carat weight also plays a role is in how large the diamond appears. With princess cut diamonds, a large portion of the carat weight is distributed on the table or the portion of the diamond that is face-up. This means you see more of the stone than you would on diamond cuts that carry more weight in their depth, such as cushion cut engagement rings. At first glance, it can seem like one of the biggest diamond cuts.

Twisted band Princess Cut Ring

How To Find the Right Princess Cut Diamond for You

There are a lot of considerations to take into account when selecting the right princess cut diamond for you. Princess cut diamonds are quite versatile. They can make for a beautiful princess cut engagement ring, it’s true, but they can also shine in stud earrings and pendant necklaces.  

Whether you are crafting your dream princess cut ring or a special set of earrings, you can browse hundreds of princess cut diamonds at 12FIFTEEN Diamonds. All of our princess cut diamonds are lab created, meaning they have the same physical, chemical, and optical properties as diamonds found in the earth, but are better for you, laborers, and the planet because they aren’t mined. 

Finding an affordable princess cut diamond is also easier when you opt for a lab created diamond. Lab diamonds are up to 40% less than a comparable mined diamond, which allows your budget to go much farther.

If you are looking for an ethically sourced and affordable princess cut diamond for a timeless, elegant, and sparkling diamond engagement ring, you don’t need to look any further. 

Sources

The History of Princess Cut Diamonds
Round vs Princess Cut Diamonds

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