The cut of a diamond is one of four fundamental characteristics: cut, clarity, color, and carat weight. A diamond's cut impacts many aspects of the stone, including the internal and external white light reflected, the way white light scatters into other colors, and the amount of sparkle produced by the diamond. One of the most beautiful diamond cuts is the princess cut.
What Is A Princess Cut Diamond?
The princess cut is a square modified brilliant cut diamond. This means it is cut similar to the traditional and well-known round brilliant cut but in a square rather than a round shape, though it can sometimes be found in a rectangular shape as well. First created by Betzalel Ambar and Israel Itzkowitz in 1981, this ring doesn't have the long history of many other cuts but has quickly gained popularity since its creation.Choosing a Princess Cut Diamond
When choosing a princess cut diamond, keeping these five things in mind will ensure you find the ideal diamond for your perfect jewelry piece.- Contrast - Also known as scintillation, the perfect balance of light and dark patterns in your diamond will prevent it from being too light and lacking dimension or too dark.
- Symmetry - A princess cut diamond with great symmetry will have facets that are of equal size and shape. Mentally drawing both a vertical and horizontal line across the diamond and comparing the symmetry of the facets will give a good indication of the symmetry of your diamond.
- Shape - Because of the princess cut's square shape, its sides must be proportional for maximum beauty. A length-to-width ratio of 1:05:1 or less is most desirable.
- Setting - Four-prong settings provide the most security for a square diamond, such as the princess cut. Bezel settings are also a popular choice. The most important feature of the setting for a princess cut is that it protects the corners of the diamond to prevent chipping.
- Complementary stones - Side stones that go very well with a princess cut and accentuate its beauty are triangles, baguettes, and trilliants.