This is a relatively new cut, which has quickly risen to become the second most popular cut for solitaire Diamonds, beaten only by the round brilliant cut. It is very popular for use in engagement rings.
Rarely used for coloured gemstones, the princess cut is not as standardised as other cuts and so there are often differences in opinion as to what constitutes as a princess cut. It was first introduced in 1960 to offer Lapidarists the ability to maximise yields when faced with cutting a flattish piece of Diamond rough. The cut often yields as much as 62%! Although there is less lustre from the facets on the crown than a round brilliant cut, it is excellent at displaying brilliance and dispersion.
So what is a princess cut? The term is normally used to describe shapes that are square, without truncated corners. Whereas a round brilliant cut could be described as a cone when viewed from the side, the princess cut is more like an upside down pyramid.
The crown is constructed with triangular facets and is not as tall as other cuts; often only 15% of the gem’s overall depth is in the crown (be careful of princess cuts that have less than 10% of total height in the crown as they will display very little life). Just like the crown, the pavilion’s facets are also triangular. As the cut sometimes has 76 facets, it is often referred to as a “Square Modified Brilliant”.
Finally, if your fiancée’s name is Sarah, then this cut would make an ideal engagement ring, as the name Sarah means ‘Princess’.
