Princess Cut Diamond Engagement Rings

Princess cut diamonds which are featured in engagement rings, and diamond jewellery in general, are square in shape. They are the second most sought-after diamond shape for use in engagement rings in the world today, after the Round Brilliant cut diamond. The square Princess cut, which is often called the square modified brilliant, is for couples who want an engagement ring with a slightly “edgy” look.

Princess cut diamonds are generally less expensive than the Round Brilliant cut for a couple of reasons. One explanation is the effect of price and demand, which puts more competition into the Round Brilliant cut market place. The other reason is that when cutting a Princess cut diamond, as it is more similar to the crystal shape of the original rough diamond, quite often up to 75-80% of the rough crystal can be used. In comparison, Round Brilliant cuts need to have the corners cut off the crystal, reducing the yield to 50% of the original diamond rough weight.

The cut grading for Princess cut diamonds is usually only in two categories, these being Polish and Symmetry, as there is less industry consensus on what the perfect cut should be, so overall Cut grade is not included on the general certificates.

Princess cut diamonds vary in appearance depending on the cut style adopted. With more facets on the underside of the diamond, Princess Cuts can resemble what is described as “Crushed Glass”. In contrast, less facets on the underside of the diamond gives a slightly heavy look to the stone. The most desired seems to be somewhere in between, where you can see the individual facets on the back, but they are small enough to show brilliance in the stone.