Which one do you like better? and why?
I prefer the round or ‘brilliant’ cut as they call it because that shape is timeless, it’s not a trend. It tends to sparkle a LOT more than a princess cut diamond as well.
Ask your jeweler to look at both under a microscope so you can see the difference in shine (your eyes work too but the microscope gives you a better idea.
If you saw the princess and fell in love with it though go for that. You have to follow your heart and sometimes no matter what logical reasoning someone else has for making the opposite decision it won’t sway your mind. Please make sure though that you aren’t getting the princess cut diamond because of it’s name, it does sound pretty but that’s kinda the idea.
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
round cut. it has more sparkle that a princess cut. no matter what size the stone is
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Princess cut, Not quite sure why, I guess the round just reminds me of my (divorced) mom’s e ring…
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there are so many other shapes
pear, marquise, flanders, old mine, old european, transitional, heart, emerald cut, radiant cut, asscher, octavia
a round will not be dated in 10 years, but a princess will date you as a bride who gotr married in the 2000s, just as the marquise dates a bride who got married in the 80s.
i prefer pear, asscher, octavia, or chunky cushions
go look at the pricescope website to learn more.
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I prefer the round or ‘brilliant’ cut as they call it because that shape is timeless, it’s not a trend. It tends to sparkle a LOT more than a princess cut diamond as well.
Ask your jeweler to look at both under a microscope so you can see the difference in shine (your eyes work too but the microscope gives you a better idea.
If you saw the princess and fell in love with it though go for that. You have to follow your heart and sometimes no matter what logical reasoning someone else has for making the opposite decision it won’t sway your mind. Please make sure though that you aren’t getting the princess cut diamond because of it’s name, it does sound pretty but that’s kinda the idea.
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To me it really depends on the setting. I love rings with lots of textures in them, kinda antique. I think with side diamonds in a baguette shape, a round stone looks so wonderful was it stands out from the rectangular shape of the side diamonds and adds dimension.
If it was just a solitaire, I would say princess cut because a solitaire round can seem overwhelming on its own.
As far as the concern about princess cut losing sparkliness… its true. But you could always get a radiant cut which is square in shape and more sparkly than round!
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Between the two, I personally prefer a princess cut. The round cut is traditional, but doesn’t really suit me. I like the clean simplicity of the princess cut with the modernity because of the square shape. It’s all really just a preference.
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I don’t really care for either. Both are very common shapes to see, and I like something a bit more unusual personally. The one nice thing about rounds is they are the only stone with set ideal proportions, meaning you can easily see on the grading report how close the stone comes to displaying maximum light return. Other shapes will simply be a subjective grade by the grader. Princess cuts will always look smaller than their actual weight because most of the weight is in the pavillion (bottom) of the stone, so unless you have a large enough budget to get a big (carat plus stone), they often look small for the money. Ovals are beautiful if you like a softer lined stone, and I would argue they often have more sparkle than either round or princess. Emerald cuts are always classic and elegant, plus the have a depth to them too that no other cut comes close too. If your into older looks, the old European cut (which is no longer cut today) has far more sparkle than modern rounds (brilliant cuts are cut for well brilliance, not sparkle). You’ll find them in period jewelry from the early 20th century. And the newer Asscher cut is spectacular, as is a radiant cut, if you like something really different. If you can find a nice heart shape (many are cut very lopsided, so it’s rare to find one with nice lines), that is always a sweet stone you’ll get compliments on forever. Pear shapes, marquise and trillions often give the appearance they are larger than their actual weight, but they are not appropriate cuts for anyone who is active with their hands, or not willing to take their ring off when their doing rough activities (people like nurses and doctors will find problems with them since they’re always putting on and taking off gloves, and anyone who’s a gardener, hiker or stay at home mom has a huge risk of chipping the points because they work roughly with their hands. There are other cuts too, which are branded by a certain company and come in a variety of shapes (although they are usually round). These proprietary cuts are difficult to find, and are much more expensive than your standard brilliant or step cut stone, since they are cut in limited numbers and are only available through upscale stores. But if your budget is big, it may be worth it to look into them, since they are often the most spectacular diamonds you’ve ever seen. But ultimately, it should be up to you and your fiance which cut YOU like best. With so many out there, it’s best to visit a respectable jeweler who can guide you in the process, answer your questions, and help guide you into the perfect shape and size. If you don’t know a respectable jeweler in you area, check out the American Gem Society website, and search your area (americangemsociety.org). AGS stores go through rigorous yearly recertification to ensure they are giving the best service to customers, are educated and knowledgeable in jewelry, are not misleading them or being deceptive in the presentation of stones, are dealing in ethically sourced goods (stones at AGS stores come through American Gem Trade Association wholesale dealers), and they are required to follow FTC guidelines for disclosure of treatments to the letter. Stores that are not AGS/AGTA member stores have none of these guidelines to follow, and you may end up not having a treatment disclosed, get something that was not ethically sourced or may just not get the best information in making your selection. Best wishes, and congrats.
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I work in a jewelry store and went to school to learn about gems:
Graduate diamonds, G.I.A.
Graduate Pearls, G.I.A.
Colored stones, G.I.A.
A.J.P. (accredited Jewelry Professional), G.I.A.
Round cut is the best because is has more fire and radiance (sparkle and glitter) than a princess cut and often you can find a round cut diamond will actually look bigger than it’s carat weight due to the way it’s cut. They are very nice.
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I have a 4.5 ct pastel mint green prasiolite in a square cushion cut…the top is ‘checkerboard’…the sparkle is amazing……that and my 2.5 ct oval brilliant cut garnet with it’s amazing facet work are my favorites…
altho I do have a 6 ct emerald cut prasiolite with faceting on the underneath of the stone in a east/west setting of heavy yellow gold and it manages to flash more than any emerald cut stone I have seen to date, or the peridot I have in the same cut ( I have several peridots) people mistake that honker for a pale green diamond…like I would walk about with a diamond of THAT size on my hand lol…..
However if I had to choose between the above cuts I would choose the round..it’s a classic that is never dated or out of style. And I do have a round white diamond….1.5 ct framed by two .25ct trillions with another 1/2 ct in small rounds down each side….so pretty.Very sparkly.
Unless it’s an opaque gemstone such as a moonstone, or star sapphires,star diopsides,opals, chalcedony, rose quartz,etc the only cut I don’t care for is the cabachon.
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I have a princess cut center stone and I love it! Its sparkle would blind you!
Its surrounded by 2 rounds on either side -
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This is down to individual preference. All we can do is give you the merits of each.
Round diamonds are the most popular, comprising almost 75% of the total market for diamonds. This is the shape that people have in mind as soon as they think about diamonds. The more popular they are, the more variety of jewellery there is with this shape of diamond in them, so therefore, the more sales there are. Round diamonds are slightly more expensive than other shapes of diamonds though, although they do have the most sparkle.
Princess cut diamonds are also popular, in second place behind rounds. Square in shape, their sparkle is excellent, and they provide a wonderful alternative to round diamonds, something out of the ordinary. You will get more for your money with princess cuts.
At the end of the day, it is whatgever YOU prefer which is important.
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http://www.dejoria.co.uk is one of the UK’s leading online diamond jewellers.
This is such a personal question. Unless you are looking for a SPECIFIC reason to chose a ring (I.e. which will catch the light more, the most unique shape, the most "classic" shape, which is more likely to retain its "sparkle", etc.), it just comes down to personal taste and style.
Why not book an appointment with a jeweler and try on some different styles? They will be able to give you some information and answer any questions you may have. You may find that a round looks better on your finger.
If you’re not set on either style, there are many other styles to choose from as well.
I 100% wanted a princess cut and that is what I have. I think it looks great on me and it suits my taste. I know that I will always like it. My ring was custom made with a unique custom setting for my diamond and I really like it. With this setting and a princess cut diamond, it is virtually IMPOSSIBLE to lose my diamond. I am rather careless and rough with jewellery, so this was very important to me. My princess cut diamond also looks a bit larger due to the full straight cut and setting it is in.
"Classic" rounds didn’t appeal to me, and neither did the "unique" shapes like pear, etc. I can’t say why I didn’t find them attractive, they just weren’t for me. I wanted something linear and streamlined, so I chose a princess. My diamond is flawless in almost all categories (Canadian Polar Ice diamond), so it actually reflects the light VERY, very well. It’s the quality of the stone that determines this, not just the cut. A cheap, dull, and yellowed diamond with ANY cut will not display as a nice ring.
To someone else, a round ring may be more "classic" and "traditional" and suit them better.
All of this said, in a room of 100 women, some will love round, hate round, love princess, hate princess, love both, hate both (and love another cut altogether). None of this matters. What matters is what YOU want. Go to a local jewelry professional for guidance and go from there. Rings are definitely something you should try on first if you can. You don’t need to try on engagement rings, any rings (I.e. birthstone) with either cut will do the job.
All cuts have their pros and cons.
Good luck!
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I prefer round. Mostly because it has more brilliance, but also because I just prefer a circle to a square, always have.
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Out of those two I prefer round, but neither are my cut of choice. My favorite shape is oval.
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I like Rounds. They give off fantastic brilliance and sparkle like mad. Princesses are nice but they don’t give as great of a light return as rounds do.
Good Luck!
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