Princess Cut Diamond Engagement Ring

Short technical lines on the Princess Cut — proportions, facets. Recommendations when buying a princess cut diamond engagement ring.
princess shape diamond

The Princess cut appears in GIA grading reports as a square or rectangular modified brilliant.
It is a relatively new shape with a square or rectangular table.
It has a typical length-to-width ratio: 1 to 1.00-1.15.

The Princess Cut was designed for getting maximum brilliance from a square cut (it has the sparkle of a Round Brilliant Cut). It is often used for solitaire engagement rings and is attractive with longer fingers, as square shapes have the optical effect of shortening.

The Princess cut diamond engagement ring may have at least 45 facets (no culet). There are versions of:

  • 50 facets (21 crown, 4 girdle, 25 pavilion)
  • 58 facets (21 crown, 4 girdle, 33 pavilion)
  • or even more facets, depending on how the pavilion is cut.

Things You Sould Know:

  • Always ensure that the setting for your Princess cut diamond protects the four pointed corners — these are the points most likely to chip (a reason for which most rectangular or square diamond cuts have cropped corners).
  • Remember that this cut requires four pronged settings.
  • Watch out for girdles which are extremely thin and thus prone to chipping.
  • Choose the color grade considering that color may be slightly visible in its corners.
  • Have in mind that the Princess cut tends to be the smallest of the shapes for the same carat weight, as the cut is basically an upside-down pyramid with most of the carat weight in the pavilion. High quality cut Princess shapes have a table of 60-75% and a total depth of about 65-80%.
  • Be aware that the Princess Cut is one of the least expensive shapes to manufacture, as it retains most of the weight of the rough stone. Princess Cut diamonds are often over-priced. (e.g.: The cost of a 1carat, D, IF Princess diamond is roughly 33% less than that of an identical round stone.)
princess diamonds at Mondera

Being a brilliant, scintillating cut, the Princess cut is more permissive of diamond flaws and weaknesses than the Emerald Cut or the Asscher Cut, which are less sparkling.

Minimal Recommendations for a Nice Stone on a Tight Budget

  • Cut: Very Good (Good)
  • Color: G (I)
  • Clarity: VS2 (SI2)
  • Depth Percentage: 58-80% (56-84%)
  • Table: 58-77% (53-85%)

Its beautiful brilliance and unique cut makes a Princess cut diamond engagement ring an ellegant choice.

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