Princess Cut Diamond Guide: Pros, Cons, Price & How to Choose

The beautiful princess cut diamond shape is very popular due to its undeniable brilliance and famous rectangular outline. It’s a more affordable option too, due to how easily efficient it is to cut.

It is the second most popular shape in the world, with the most popular of all diamond cuts being the traditional round brilliant shape.

The brilliant style of cutting the diamond to create a princess shape ensures that the sparkle is high and if there are any inclusions, they are hidden well in this cut. It is the most similar cut you can get to the round brilliant cut, which is why it is also known as the “square modified brilliant” in professional diamond cutter circles.

Let’s take a deeper look at this stunning diamond cut. Below we will discuss the pros and cons, pricing and how to choose your ideal princess cut.

What Is A Princess Cut Diamond?

Traditionally, the princess cut diamond is a square diamond with truly beautiful fire and brilliance.

The design of the princess shape comes from the inverted pyramid of the untreated diamond stone.

They are a very popular pick for engagement rings and are often the “go-to” choice for a traditional looking ring.

What Is The Origin And History Of Princess Cut Diamonds?

The princess cut was first introduced to the world of jewellery officially in 1979, but its origins date back to 1961. It is a conglomeration of two different cuts, one called the Barion Cut and the other called the Profile Cut.

The Profile Cut was created by English diamond cutter Arpad Nagy and the Barion Cut was created by a South African diamond cutter, Basil Watermeyer, who romantically named the cut after himself and his wife Marion.

It is the marriage and combination of these two exquisite cuts that result in the beautiful princess cut we see today.

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Princess Cut Diamonds?

Here are some pros and cons for you to consider when ascertaining whether the princess cut is the diamond shape for you:

Pros:

• Princess cuts are not always very expensive, there are very affordable options out there if price is something you need to consider
• Princess cut diamonds are known for their immense sparkle and brilliance.
• Despite the princess cut not being as large in terms of surface area as a round cut, they often appear larger to the naked eye due to their lengthy diagonal measurements
• The princess shape is a hardy cut and is known for its durability
• The princess cut hides inclusions and blemishes extremely well due to its shape

Cons:

• The corners of the princess cut are well defined and sharp, this means they are susceptible to frequent damage
• Due to the corners being a vulnerable point in the princess shape, this limits the number of diamond settings you can consider. You will only be able to comfortably choose from a limited amount of settings to ensure the safety of the stone due to its easily damaged corners
• The princess cut is known to show some unappealing colour schemes in the diamond, such as yellows and browns, more so than many other cuts.

How To Select A Princess Cut Diamond

Selecting a princess cut diamond is a delicate process, but thankfully, not very complicated. When selecting one of these magnificent diamond cuts, here is what to look out for:

Symmetry: The more defined and exact the symmetry, the more visually appealing and brilliant the end result of the ring will be. Draw an imaginary line down to the centre of the diamond, then count the facets on either side of that line. Then do the same thing horizontally and check for evenness and symmetry from side to side, above, and below. This will give you an opportunity to check in for a closer look at how symmetrical your diamond is.

Shape: It’s important to check the length-to-width ratio when buying a princess cut diamond. It should not exceed 1 to 05 to 1. Checking this will also give you an idea of how symmetrical the cut is and how even the sides of the diamond are.

Scintillation: This refers to the contrast of the light and dark within the facets of the diamond.

Finding a diamond cut that has a perfect visual balance of light and dark in the colour scheme is the most valuable and visually appealing.

What Are The Best Ring Settings For Princess Cut Diamonds?

The best ring settings for princess cut diamond rings are the channel and four-prong settings. Two examples of these are the solitaire or three-stone setting.

Above, we discussed how the corners of the princess cut can be a potential disadvantage to buying this shape. One of the ways to overcome this issue is by setting the diamond into the right ring.

A channel, or four-prong setting, provides safety to the diamond without taking anything away from its stunning visual appeal.

Here are some options for settings to consider for a princess cut:

1. Solitaire
2. Channel
3. Halo
4. Vintage

How Much Are Princess Cut Diamonds?

A princess cut diamond that is of high clarity, good colour, ideal cut and high brilliance will cost around £2500 per carat.

What Does A Princess Cut Diamond Say About You?

While there is nothing too specific to say about someone who chooses the princess cut diamond, we can say that this is known for its romanticism and its sparkle.

The woman who chooses this shape of diamond is likely to be excitable, daring, strong and edgy. It is also a beautiful representation of the love shared between the two people who are buying this diamond for an engagement ring.

How Popular Are Princess Cut Diamonds In The Us And Around The World?

The princess cut diamond is the second most popular cut in the world and is said to make up roughly 15% of the world’s diamond sales today. A recent study based on 2015 and 2016 data showed the popularity of the different diamond shapes across the United States. According to this study, the princess cut makes up 22.07% of America’s diamond sales.

Comparing Princess Cut Diamonds vs Other Diamond Cuts

The princess cut, despite its popularity throughout the world, is not everyone’s cup of tea. Choosing a diamond to suit your needs and style is only ever something you can decide on. It won’t matter the brilliance or cost if it is ultimately not a cut or shape you love with all your heart.

If you are still trying to decide if the princess cut is the one for you or not, here is a list of brilliant cut diamonds, in order of highest sparkle and brilliance to lowest:

1. Round brilliant
2. Pear, oval, marquise
3. Heart and princess
4. Cushion and radiant cut

Now that you’ve got the low down on this cut, you can decide if it’s right for you. There is an abundance of different cuts, but this one truly is fit for a princess!