4 Points to Consider About Princess Cut Diamonds

Are you looking for the best princess cut diamond ring? We can’t wait to help you do just that. Princess cuts are a bit tricky because the GIA doesn’t offer a cut classification for them either. Also, some of the most important factors for the highest quality princess cut diamonds aren’t listed in the GIA report at all! But don’t worry, keep reading, we’ll show you with pictures!

What is a princess cut diamond ring?

Princess cut diamond ring is an engagement ring with a sparkling square diamond called princess cut in the middle! Princess cut diamonds are square diamonds with sharp corners and a shiny surface. These sharp corners set them apart from others (brilliant cut diamonds, cropped corners).

Do princess cut diamonds sparkle?

Yes! Because of the brilliant facets, a well cut princess with equal contrast/brilliance and a suitable table will sparkle a lot! However, without proper cut and contrast, princess cut diamonds can also look dead. That’s why it’s so important to look at the details when choosing your princess cut.

Which is more important in princess cut diamonds: color or clarity?

When you look at one, the stone that looks clean to the eye (at least VS2) and the color are much more important. It is very important to make sure you choose a diamond that faces up, as the color can be concentrated at the tips of a princess cut diamond. “White”. Most princess cut diamond rings with G+ color and VS2+ clarity will appear white and clean to your eyes.

Princess cut length-width ratio

The ratio refers to how square or rectangular your princess cut is, and you don’t want to get this wrong. While both square and rectangular princess cuts are beautiful, your fiancé probably has a preference. If you really want a square princess, go for a ratio of 1.03 or lower. The human eye can’t tell the difference between a ratio of 1.00 and 1.03! Up to 1.05, it will look a bit square. A princess cut diamond ring with a ratio above 1.05 will start to look rectangular, while above 1.1, it will look long.

Pro tip! If you’re “compass-tuning” your princess cut, choose a 1.00 or 1.01 stone to be safe!

Which is the best princess cut diamond?

The best princess is white, has clear eyes, depth below 72%, a plate below 73%, even contrast/brightness, and an undeniable length to width ratio of 1.03 or below! These are Industry guidelines. These are the minimums you should be looking for. But there is still a lot to learn to get the best princess cut. The following four BIG mistakes will help you spot them and choose the best of the best!

What should I pay attention to in princess cut diamonds?

As well as the standard rules of being white, having a clear eye, depth below 72% and table below 73%, it is important to look for stones that have good contrast, a cushioned table, no strange reflections and white tips. There are so many things to look out for! But these little details really make a big difference in a stunning Princess. Take a look at the photos of the mistakes below and you will be sure to know what to look for:

Error #1 No Contrast/Unequal Contrast

“Contrast” is the term used for the dark areas in your diamond, and yes, you do want some! Contrast acts as a dark background against which the white and rainbow sparkle pops. Therefore, diamonds with well-spaced contrast will appear more sparkly than diamonds without enough contrast. Still don’t believe me? Imagine taking a photo of a white puppy on a white blanket. It would blend in, right? All that lost sparkle. Now, imagine taking a photo of that white puppy on a black blanket. Wow! It’s so bright and white! You want your sparkle to pop like that! Contrast is perhaps even more important in princess cut diamonds than other diamonds due to their steep angles and wide table. So don’t make the mistake of skimping on contrast!

Another thing to watch out for is uneven contrast. Uneven contrast is where there is a dark pattern on one side of your stone that is not reflected on the other side. The symmetry of a princess cut diamond is very important. Stones with uneven contrast will look out of proportion and confusing to the eye. So always make sure to cut your stone halfway through the long way. Does the right match the left? Good! Don’t just get stuck with an unbalanced contrast diamond.

Mistake #2: Strange reflections

Princess cuts have deep pavilions (undercuts) which can cause ugly reflections in the stone; avoid these! Do the facets on the right match the facets on the left? Do they appear clear and clean? Or does the stone look a bit like broken glass? Princess cut diamond rings with strange reflections often look like a rough grade or have a strange pattern that you can’t quite place. Be sure to step back and look at the handheld. No, seriously, even take a few steps away from the computer. Does it look symmetrical and attractive? Or does it have strange, broken patterns? Never choose a stone with strange reflections, as these will distract from the beauty of the stone.

Mistake #3 Large square trays

In addition to contrast, the table size and shape of a princess cut diamond ring are also key factors in achieving maximum sparkle. This is because smaller tables equal more sparkle and fewer dull-shiny fingerprints. Unfortunately, most people don’t talk about this. In fact, industry guidelines only talk about table percentage. However, since diamond tables are measured from the widest point rather than the overall size, two princesses with 73% tables can look very different.

Some tables appear more square while others appear more “pillow” shaped. Pillow shaped tables mean that the top flat surface of your stone comes into the corners a bit and the overall size of your table is a bit smaller. For this reason, I recommend setting your filter to 73% when analyzing your table surface, but only considering 73% if the tables are pillow shaped. The added space for the crown surfaces on the side of the table provides more rainbow sparkle. A smaller table area also means that fingerprints won’t steal the shine of your stone. If you don’t want to worry about looking for cushioned tables, set your filter to 71% and below and enjoy the benefits without having to analyze.

(left) 73% pillow shaped tray vs 73% square shaped tray (right)

Mistake #4 Color clues

Don’t buy a diamond with dirty looking tips! It’s very important to make sure that all four tips of a princess cut diamond are nice and white as the colour can be concentrated at the tips of the diamond. So sit back and look at your diamond from a distance. Does the colour appear even? Or do you see a concentration of heat at the tips? Don’t be caught out buying a stone with hot tips, it will detract from the beauty and won’t look great in the setting of your princess cut diamond ring.

Princess cut vs Other Shapes

Is the princess cut better than the round cut?

Princess cuts are the second most popular diamond shape after round cuts. Round diamonds are designed to sparkle more than princess cut diamonds. However, couples who choose princess cut diamond engagement rings cite their love for the modern shape of the princess cut as the winning factor. So, whether the princess cut or round cut is right for you comes down to personal preference!

Do round or princess cut diamonds appear larger?

Because of their extreme depth (70-73%), Princess cut diamonds tend to appear slightly smaller than Round brilliants (with depths closer to 60-63%). In measurements, a 1-carat Round brilliant is usually around 6.5mm, while a 1-carat Princess is around 5.5mm. However, due to the length of the Princess’ diagonal, this size difference is not as dramatic as one might think. In fact, a 1-carat Princess “compass set” is approximately 7.75mm wide diagonally!

How do you make a princess cut diamond appear larger?

A compass setting a princess diamond will make the stone appear larger, as will a halo setting. Compass setting a princess diamond means turning it so that it is set north/south/east/west instead of square. Since the diagonal length of a princess diamond is longer than its side length, this actually increases its size! Also, choosing a halo setting will easily add another 4-6mm to the overall width and height, making it a great value for money choice!

What is the difference between a cushion cut and a princess cut?

Princess cuts are square-cut diamonds with hard edges and sharp corners, while cushion cut diamonds are square-shaped with soft, pillow-like edges and corners. Both diamond cuts are “brilliant,” meaning they have triangular and kite-shaped facets. So they both sparkle! Princess cut stones are cut a little deeper than cushions, meaning they can appear a little larger, but it’s not a huge visual difference. In terms of popularity, princess cuts are more popular recently, while cushion cuts have historically been more popular!

Is the cushion cut better than the princess?

Princess cuts are currently more popular than cushion cuts, but cushion cuts tend to sparkle more than princess cuts. Choosing between a cushion and princess cut diamond ring is really a matter of style. Couples who choose princess cuts tend to be more modern and fashion-conscious. Cushion lovers tend to be more traditional and love antique styles. Both are beautiful, square-shaped and sparkle like crazy!

Why are princess cut diamonds cheaper?

Princess cut diamonds are less expensive than other cut diamonds because the diamonds grow over a larger square shape and thus cutting a princess results in less diamond rough waste. As a result, diamond cutters can get more and larger diamonds from a single piece of rough diamond crystal. Less waste and higher efficiency means less cost to you!