Princess cut

The princess cut (technical name 'square modified brilliant') is a diamond cut shape often used in engagement rings. The name dates back to the 1960s, while the princess cut as it exists was created by Betazel Ambar, Ygal Perlman, and Israel Itzkowitz in 1980. The cut has a square or rectangular shape when viewed from above, and from the side is similar to that of an inverted pyramid with four beveled sides. Its popularity was at its highest in the 80s and 90s, though its popularity was high in the 2000s as well. It is the second most popular diamond cut, below round and above cushion.

This article is about a diamond cut. For the haircut, see Hime cut. For the 2015 film, see Princess Cut (film).
Princess cut diamond set in a ring

Characteristics

The face-up shape of the princess cut (technical name 'square modified brilliant'[1] is square or rectangular and the profile or side-on shape is similar to that of an inverted pyramid with four beveled sides. The design is sometimes considered feminine.[2][3] When looked down on, it bares an X shape.[4] They are slightly less expensive and less cut than round diamonds.[2] The sharp points of the diamond make it more prone to damage.[2] The number of chevrons can affect the overall outlook of a princess cut diamond. This can usually be determined by the wire diagram that is plotted in diamond grading reports.[5] The princess cut had its origins in the early "French" cut.[6]

History

The name 'princess cut' was applied in the 1960s to a cut created by Arpad Nagy called the profile cut. Following this, more square cuts were given the name. These include the barion cut and the quadrillion cut, which were precursors to the current princess cut. [7] It is one of the newest diamond shapes.[1]

Popularity

As of 2015, princess cut diamonds were the second most popular choice for an engagement ring. Approximately 30% of engagement rings use princess cut diamonds, behind round diamonds (50%) and ahead of cushions (8%).[2] It saw its popularity at its peak in the 80s and 90s.[2] The princess cut experienced a rise in popularity from the early 2000s to the mid 2000s.[8] In the 2000s, the most popular engagement ring featured a princess cut diamond surrounded by round brilliant-cut diamonds.[9] Disney in conjunction with Zales created a series of Disney Princess rings, with some of them, such as Aurora's, Fa Mulan's, Snow White's, and Tinker Bell's featuring princess cuts.[10]

Princess cut diamonds have been used in different sports awards. The Chicago Cubs' trophy for their 2016 World Series win featured, among others, two princess cut diamonds.[11] In 2018, The Capitals' Stanley Cup rings featured 22 princess cut diamonds among hundreds of others.[12]

See also

References
  1. Anderson, Åse (August 1, 2017). "A beginner's guide to diamond cuts". The Jewellery Editor. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  2. "Princess Cut Diamonds: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly!". Little Bird. August 14, 2015. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  3. Jones, Rebekah (September 3, 2018). "Engagement Ring Buyers Guide: 10 steps to the perfect ring". Brentwood Homepage. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  4. Wolf, Danielle (November 9, 2018). "The most popular engagement ring cuts and shapes right now". Today. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  5. "Impact of Chevrons on a Princess Cut Diamond Appearance". Online Diamond Buying Guide. Retrieved 12 Dec 2012.
  6. "Princess Cut: How It Got Popular and Why It Continues To Be". Vanessa Nicole. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  7. "The Princess Cut: A Popular Gemstone Cut for Rings & More". Charles & Corvard. August 15, 2017. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  8. McNulty, Lyndi (January 16, 2019). "An Eye for Art: Shipley uses his artistic skills in jewelry design, auctioneering". Carroll County Times. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  9. Walano, Rose (March 22, 2016). "See 100 Years of Engagement Ring Styles in Under 3 Minutes". Us Weekly. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  10. Lignitz, Shea (December 7, 2017). "Zales Has Disney Princess Rings – Pick Your Fave!". Brit and Co. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  11. Gonzales, Mark (April 12, 2017). "Cubs' ring ceremony saturated with history". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  12. Allen, Scott (October 1, 2018). "The Capitals' Stanley Cup rings feature 252 diamonds, 35 rubies and a sapphire". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
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