Panoptic knowledge about the Princess-cut Diamonds – Queens of all diamond cuts
Posted by Hari Krishna
April 26, 2021
For princess-cut diamonds, the adage – Being a square keeps you from going around in circles. – is somehow well-suited.
Because princess-cut diamonds are the second-most preferred diamond shape after round brilliant cut diamonds.
If we go back to the history of diamond cutting, we can trace the origin of princess-cut diamonds around 1979, created by Betzalel Amber & Israel Itzkowitz.
Some gem experts believe that the princess diamond-cut is a combination of quadrillion diamond-cut (originated in 1970) and Barion diamond-cut (developed in 1971).
Technically known as square-modified brilliant-cut diamonds, the princess-cut diamonds can sometimes be slightly rectangular (which is often hard to detect).
However, some gem experts believe that this modern fancy diamond cut is quite different from the square-modified diamond cut but similar to the 14th century Square French Cut.
Also, they are called brilliant-cut diamonds because they have perfect scintillation with four sharp corners, more number of facets and facet arrangements reduces the visibility of inherent inclusions.
Though princess cut diamonds do not live up to the sparkle and brilliance of round cut diamonds, no other fancy diamond cuts can match their light performance.
However, in terms of face-up appearance, princess cut diamonds create an illusion of larger size.
Though the crown surface area of princess diamonds is less than the same-weight round cut diamonds, their corner-to-corner is almost 15% higher, which creates the illusion of greater size.
In terms of color, princess cut diamonds tend to hold more color than round cut diamonds. In terms of clarity, grading standard does not affect much as princess cut diamonds are inherently brilliant.
But the location of the inclusion highly affects the durability of the princess cut diamonds. If the inclusions rest in the corners, then the diamond is more prone to chipping.
As per GIA, there is not enough information on princess diamond-cut to fix the ideal cut characteristics/specifications for grading the princess cut diamonds.
In the case of princess cut diamond grading, the GIA will only grade polish and symmetry quality. That too took off in 2005, when the light performance-based diamond cut grading system got life.
However, after all these years, there are specific ranges of cut-proportions, following which may result in an ideal princess diamond cut.
Let us see each of them in detail:
• Crown:
In princess diamond-cut, the crown hardly influences the overall diamond light performance. However, the crown side does affect the durability of the diamond when set into jewellery.
The crown side of the princess diamond cut can either have french corners or bezel corners.
Princess diamonds with french corners, the star facets of the diamond point to the corners, and the edges become very slim.
Hence, this kind of princess diamond is more prone to chipping, especially if the diamond inclusion is near the pointed corners.
However, princess diamonds with bezel corners have diamond-shaped facets between the table corners and the stone corners. So they are less prone to chipping and are more durable.
• Depth percentage:
The ideal depth percentage for princess diamond cut ranges between 64% to 75% to produce optimum light performance in the diamond.
Generally, princess-cut diamonds with the lower depth% (under 70%) seem better for the best brilliance, but such diamonds are hard to find.
• Table percentage:
Generally, the standard table % in princess diamond-cut is 75% and below (upto 64%). However, just like depth%, the small tables are hard to find.
• Length-to-width ratio:
For square princess diamond cuts, the optimum L/W ratio is 1 to 1.03, and for rectangular princess diamonds, it can extend up to 1.09 to 1.2.
However, a princess diamond cut with an L/W ratio anywhere upto 1.05 will appear square to the naked eye.
But for the rectangular princess diamond, the L/W should be sufficient to look rectangular to the naked eye, i.e., 1.2.
Princess cut diamonds with an L/W ratio between 1.05 to 1.09 look off-shape – not proper square and yet not rectangular enough.
• Chevron:
As already mentioned, the princess diamond cut does not have any standard number of facets. They vary according to facet design and facet arrangements into the particular diamond between 58-76.
However, the most variant facets in the princess diamond cut are due to the varying number of chevrons (type of facets on/underside the pavilion).
The princess cut diamonds generally have two, three, or four chevrons. The number of chevrons highly affects the brilliance of princess cut diamonds.
E.g., princess diamonds with two chevrons reflect large flashes of light with a bolder appearance due to more space between the adjacent facets, so the light will take longer to bounce around.
Princess diamonds with four chevrons scintillate more, giving them a glittery appearance. Because with an increasing number of chevrons, facet size becomes smaller, and the light jumps around at a much faster rate.
The 3-chevron princess diamond produces optimum sparkle and a brilliant appearance that is neither chunkier nor gives a crushed ice look.
However, as the size of the princess diamond gets bigger, the number of chevrons gets higher. E.g., princess diamonds of 1ct & less, the chevrons can be 2, 3, 4, and that of 1+ Cts, it can be 4, 5, 6.
Princess-cut diamonds symbolize pure elegance because anything you would consider flawed in round cut diamonds adds extra beauty and shine to the princess cut diamonds.
However, this does not mean that the diamonds have flaws. With pointed edges in princess diamond cut, its corners must not get chipped.
Since the corners of a princess-cut diamond are more susceptible to damage, they should always be protected with prongs to reduce the possible damage risk.
A channel setting or four-prong setting offers higher protection without masking the princess diamond beauty.
However, princess cuts are versatile enough to be perfectly set in settings, such as solitaire, Halo, Vintage, Bazel, three-stone setting, etc.
Apart from all of these, princess cut diamonds also tend to have lower price-per-carat than round cut diamonds because two equally sized four-sided princess diamonds cut from the same octahedron rough with relatively little waste.
The greater yield translates to a lower price with the unique glare in the light.
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