Diamonds are cut into various shapes. They’re geometrical shapes that we all recognize. But some of them have specific names that represent the shape.
A square cut diamond is called a princess cut diamond, as well. The princess cut originated in the 1960s. It’s quickly become one of the most popular shapes for diamond rings. It sparkles more than many other cuts so it costs more than most.
This article is about taking a look into what makes the square cut diamond so desirable. We’ll tell you what makes this cut better than others, so keep reading to find out.
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Table of Contents
What Is a Princess Cut Diamond?
In 1961, a diamond cutter named Nagy created and patented a square cut he called the profile cut. The following decade, two more square cuts were patented and given names.
The princess cut was modeled after a previous version of square cut diamonds. It was given the name of princess cut to describe its elegant and dramatic look.
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The Princess Cut Sparkle
Princess cut diamonds sparkle almost as much as the brilliant round cut diamonds. They have about the same number of facets, at 58, to reflect light in and out of the stone.
The light won’t move about quite the same since there are corners that change the light movement, but it makes the stone sparkle nonetheless.
What’s the Most Popular Diamond Cut?
Round cut diamonds are the most popular. They’re the most sparkly since light can enter from all around. Round diamonds don’t have corners and have highly symmetrical facets that allow light to easily flow through.
Second to the round diamond is the square cut diamond. They’re nearly as sparkly and cost slightly less than round diamonds.
Want to know why square diamonds cost less than round diamonds? Some of it has to do with waste. That may seem strange but there is less waste when cutting a square diamond than there is when cutting a round one.
Round and square stones don’t start that way in raw form. The shape must be cut from the raw diamond, which leads to some waste.
Square diamonds typically result in 20% raw diamond waste. That’s not bad compared to the 60% raw diamond waste resulting from the round diamond cut.
How Much Does a 1 Carat Princess Cut Diamond Cost?
Princess cut diamonds aren’t the most expensive but they aren’t the cheapest either. Generally, round cut diamonds cost the most because they’re extremely popular and they result in a lot of wasted raw diamond.
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The square princess cut diamond is second in popularity but falls to the middle to upper range of prices because there isn’t a lot of waste when cutting this shape.
Below is a chart showing the average cost for 1 carat diamonds with various cuts.
| Type Diamond (1 Carat) | Average Price |
|---|---|
| Princess (Square) | $4,799 |
| Round | $7,291 |
| Cushion | $4,229 |
| Emerald | $4,476 |
| Oval | $5,362 |
| Pear | $5,802 |
| Radiant | $4,443 |
| Heart | $5,536 |
| Asscher | $4,137 |
| Marquise | $5,596 |
Remember, though, that cut is only one factor that determines the price of a diamond. Let’s look briefly at the other three.
What Are the 4 Cs?
Diamonds are graded on certain criteria to determine a value for them. Those criteria are referred to as the 4 Cs. They are cut, color, clarity, and carat. So, let’s define these.
- Cut – This is what we just discussed above. It’s the shape the raw diamond is given by the diamond cutter. The cut is graded for its precision and symmetry.
- Color – A white diamond should be colorless. Diamonds develop color sometimes when foreign elements enter the crystal as it’s forming. Color is graded on a letter scale ranging from D as colorless to Z as yellowish or brownish.
- Clarity – The clarity is in reference to the inclusions, or flaws, found inside the stone. These can be dots, cracks, lines, or clouds. A flawless diamond has no inclusions and is given the FL grade. Other grades include IF, VVS, VS, SI, and I.
- Carat – The carat is the weight of the diamond. This is what sizes are based on. For instance, a 2 carat diamond is heavier and bigger than a .50 carat diamond.
What Is a Rectangular Diamond Called?
The rectangular diamonds are usually called emerald cut. They have stair-step facets on top.
The emerald cut diamond allows you to see more through the stone than other cuts. If there are inclusions, it’s more likely you’ll see them in an emerald cut diamond.
Emerald cut diamonds are less appealing in lower qualities because you can see more of the flaws inside with the naked eye.
Typically, consumers buy this cut only when it’s a high quality diamond. Consequently, most emerald cut diamonds are only made from high quality raw stones.
What Is the Rarest Diamond Cut?
The rarest cut is the Royal Asscher cut. It originated in 1902 and was patented by its creator.Â
Another unusual cut is the trilliant diamond. This is a triangle cut diamond.
You may think rare diamond cuts are less popular, thus they are rare. That isn’t always the case. Some diamond cuts are rare because their patent stipulates what retailers may sell them.
What Is the Finest Cut of Diamond?
The finest diamond cut is the round brilliant cut. Round brilliant cut diamonds are cut to specific measurements that yield the most sparkle.
The facets are proportioned to capture and reflect the most light resulting in the most brilliance.
How Much Should I Pay for a 1 Carat Square Cut Diamond?
For starters, you should consider your budget before deciding how much to spend. Don’t break the bank to purchase a specific size of diamond.
Square cut diamonds range in price from around $1,500 up to $13,000. It’s a broad range.
The diamond grades determine the value of the stones. That’s why you could pay the price at the low end or pay much more because the stone is extremely high quality.
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Do Princess Cut Diamonds Hold Their Value?
Princess cut diamonds do hold their value quite well. If a stone loses value, it’s only because of fluctuations in the market space.
Princess cut diamonds are highly popular, so resale is good and easy to process.
Round cut diamonds hold their value the best. Princess cut stones are right up there with the round diamonds, though.
Should I Buy a Certified Square Diamond?
You should buy a certified princess cut square diamond if you can afford to. Certified diamonds come with documentation that serves as evidence of their quality.
You can purchase GIA, AGS, EGL, or IGI certified diamonds. The one that holds the most clout is GIA, the Gemological Institute of America. They have a reputation for consistency and reliability.
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Conclusion
A square diamond is called a princess cut diamond. They’ve only been around for about five decades.
Princess cut diamonds produce little waste during the cutting process. Only around 20% of the raw diamond is lost. That helps keep the cost of this stunning cut down because more of the diamond is used.
The princess cut is the second-most popular diamond shape, behind the round cut. It has the same number of facets as the round cut and sparkles almost as much.
References
https://4cs.gia.edu/en-us/diamond-clarity/
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