About Princess-Cut Diamonds
Princess cut diamonds are clean and elegant diamond shapes that typically associate with modern, but timeless engagement ring styles. The chevron facets provide an exceptional amount of fire (the colored flashes of light that diamonds exhibit) as well as fantastic scintillation. The cut was developed in the 1960’s and blends the linear essence of step-cut (such as emerald and asscher), but the brilliant facet patterning makes it more adept at hiding inclusions and producing sparkle.
Princess cut diamonds are an extremely popular diamond shape, second only to the esteemed round brilliant.
Take a look at our Complete Diamond Buying Guide for tips on finding the best princess cut diamond.
GIA Certified Princess Cut Diamonds
A reliable lab certificate is hugely beneficial to diamond buyers. A diamond grading report outlines the specific qualities of the diamond, allowing you to make conscious decisions about price.
The GIA represents the gold standard of diamond grading. You will see princess cut diamonds referred to as ‘square modified brilliants’ on the report, along with details of their clarity, cut, carat weight, proportions and details of any inclusions.
Princess diamonds are graded by the GIA using the same system boundaries as rounds making it easy for customers to understand the quality of the stone.
Princess-Cut Diamond: Frequently Asked Questions
Need to know more? Here are some of our frequently asked questions about princess-cut diamonds.
Carat weight is entirely personal, based on your own tastes and budget. However, it is worth noting that due to their shape, a diamond cutter is able to retain more of the rough during the cutting process. This means per carat, princess-cut diamonds are less expensive than round brilliants. A 1.50ct princess is an excellent weight for an engagement ring, but in the right setting, a variety of weights can look fantastic.
The corners of a princess-cut diamond can be prone to damage if they are not set correctly. The best settings for a princess diamond are those which protect the corners while allowing the center stone to still take prominence. Fortunately, due to their popularity, you will find a huge variety of settings that are perfectly suited.
The facets of a princess-cut diamond make the presence of color in the body of a diamond less obvious. This means the ‘near colorless’ G-H-I graded diamonds will still present beautifully bright and colorless while offering a lower price point than the top grades.