Princess cut diamond engagement rings are very popular these days. In fact, next to rings with round diamonds, the princess cut is the most popular. This cut may be the best choice for your needs for a number of reasons.
What is a Princess Cut Stone?
Princess cut diamond engagement rings have only been with us since the 60s. It started with a diamond known as the profile cut in the year 1961. The stone was square cut and featured 58 facets, but was later changed to 49 facets. The idea was to produce a square shaped diamond with the same sparkle as the brilliant cut round stone. Depending on the way a princess cut stone is created, it can have the multifaceted look of crushed ice or a plain appearance.
The princess cut (square modified brilliant cut) was first called the Barion cut, but later the name was changed to princess.
Price
If you are shopping for princess cut diamond engagement rings, there is good news. You can usually find princess cuts cheaper than round and some other cuts. Due to the square shape of the cut, you receive less waste in the cutting process. A round cut for example, produces the most waste material and is one of the reasons you may pay more for round cut diamonds.
More Good News about Princess Cut Diamond Engagement Rings
Because of the way a princess cut diamond is created, it’s harder to notice some of the flaws or inclusions. This means you can opt for a lower grade of clarity and still receive a great deal of brilliance from you diamond. You may come across some excellent princess cut diamond engagement rings in the VS2 and SI1 clarity range.
Most diamonds are not perfect and the same goes for princess cut stones. You may find some with inclusions but make sure to buy a diamond with no inclusions in any of the corners, when you shop square shaped stones. Since they are usually prong mounted, a corner inclusion makes it more likely to develop problems in the future.
Color
As you shop princess cut diamond engagement rings, color is a very important consideration. In fact, you may need to opt for a higher color rating than for round cut stones. J and K rated stones are often the best buy, unless you want something which is almost colorless (and much more expensive).
Certification
To ensure you are getting what you pay for, opt for stones with a GIA certification. Theses certificates are from the Gemological Institute of America and the GIA is the standard by which most diamonds are graded and evaluated.
