The Princess Engagement Ring Cut

An engagement ring cut refers to a gemstone’s reflective qualities, as well as its geometric shape. The most popular engagement ring cut after the round and the preferred square cut shape is the princess- a brilliant cut stone with sharp and spiked corners. Known as a fancy shape, it is generally seen as a square more often than as a rectangular shape in order to create as much light and fire as possible.

In gems that weigh the same amount of carats, the width of the princess cut is usually less than that of a round, whilst the length of the princess tends to be greater in comparison. The princess engagement ring cut is sometimes referred to as a square modified brilliant, since it combines the fire of a round design with an overall square or rectangular form. Princess gemstones sacrifice a tiny bit of brilliance in order to achieve their distinctive shape.

The princess cut usually has 76 facets, all of which serve to enhance its brilliance and light-reflective qualities. Additional facets are often seen on the edges of princesses where cutters have to work harder to produce a corner free of extensive scratches.

A ring that features a princess engagement ring cut is very flattering on a hand with long fingers. For a princess cut that is square, length-to-width proportions are between 1 and 1.05 (square or almost square). If you fancy a more rectangular shape, then seek out length-to-width proportions between 1.10 and 1.20.

If you love the fire of the classic round brilliant design but want something different, a princess gemstone is in a class of its own. Most square or rectangular cuts won’t match the modern round brilliant in terms of sparkle, but the princess shape was crafted to yield the maximum amount of brilliance from a square form. It is important to ensure that the setting for a princess protects its pointed corners; these are the points most likely to chip, and they are also the reason that most other rectangular or square cuts, like the emerald cut, have cropped corners.

A princess gem is more likely to exhibit colour tints, especially in its four corners.

It is recommended that the stone of a princess engagement ring cut have a minimum colour of H and a clarity of VS2. These grades and above will allow the princess cut to display the brilliant and sparkling beauty of its form.

However, such grade jewels may be rather expensive, but their radiance will be unparalleled. Those with a more modest budget should look for a gem with a minimum colour of I and a clarity of SI2. While some sparkle may be compromised, the overall aspect for such a princess cut is still a very good one.