A Crash Course in Princess Cut Diamonds

Diamonds have been popular for personal ornamentation for centuries, but so-called princess cut diamonds have a much more recent history.  The exact moment of origin of the princess cut diamond isn’t exactly agreed upon, but historians and diamond aficionados suggest that this type of cut came about in the 1960’s or 1970’s.

Before the introduction of princess cut diamonds, brilliant round diamonds dominated the diamond market. Round brilliants still control the diamond market today but princess cut diamonds are an impressively close second.  Together, these two diamond shapes make up the large majority of diamond purchases.

One of the most obvious differences between round brilliants and princess cuts is the shape: as the name suggests, round brilliants are round, while princess cuts are either square or rectangular.  The difference in shape impacts the way the diamond handles light as well as the price of the diamond.  To understand the price difference, it is helpful to look at how diamonds are cut.

The shape of a piece of diamond rough is known as an “octahedron”. Now, imagine you are a diamond cutter. If you simply cut the octahedron in half, what are you left with?  If you said two princess cut diamonds you would be correct. The shape of the octahedron naturally encourages the shape of the princess cut. This means that much more of the rough diamond is preserved in the creation of a princess cut than in the creation of a brilliant round.  Look at it this way: a brilliant round yields only about 40% while princess cuts can yield 80-90%!  That is why some refer to the princess cut as the diamond cutter’s dream.

This can also seem like a dream to budget-conscious diamond shoppers.  Because of the large difference in yield (a 1-carat rough can either yield a 0.40 ct brilliant round or a 0.80-0.90 ct princess cut), you can get a larger princess cut diamond for the same price as a smaller brilliant round.  Of course, this is part of what has led to the rapid growth in popularity of the princess cut in a relatively short amount of time.

At Adam’s Jewelers in Roseville, we have a wide selection of princess cut diamond and round brilliant diamond rings to choose from.  If you are in the Sacramento area and you are looking for the perfect diamond for yourself or for a special loved one, be sure to swing by Adam’s Jewelers and let the pros help you find the perfect fit.

Like Adam’s Jewelers on Facebook!!