Best Diamond Cuts For A Vintage Solitaire Ring

There are several shapes or cuts of stone that can be used in the design of a vintage solitaire ring. Jewelers all agree that a good cut is what determines how brilliant a diamond will be. Vintage cuts are sometimes referred to differently than modern cuts but are sometimes meant to describe the same shape. Here is a brief description of the most popular modern day cuts as well as terms used to describe cuts for a vintage solitaire ring.

Round Cut
This is probably the most popular cut of diamond. The shape creates a very brilliant diamond.

Princess Cut
Also a very sparkling cut, the Princess Diamond is a square shape and can often be found in a vintage solitaire ring.

Emerald Cut
This rectangle shape for a cut of diamond came from the actual cut that was used to make emerald rings. This shape gave more strength to the fairly soft emerald, but its appeal caught on and was used for diamonds as well.

Marquis
This is like a diamond shape with rounded corners. As it is usually quite a large cut, it is well suited to a solitaire ring.

Old Mine Cuts
From the late 1800s to the early 1900s, this was a common cut for diamonds. They were a round cut with very high crowns and large facets.

Cushion Cuts
This cut was from the same time period as the Old Mine Cuts. The shape was square, or what was referred to as “pillow” shaped, thus the term cushion cut.

European Cut
This cut was common leading up to the 1920s, when a lot of the fashion and jewelry of the times were influenced by the everyday happenings in Europe. It is a round cut that again, produces a very brilliant stone.

Chances are, if you are seeking a vintage solitaire ring, you will simply find it and fall in love with it. The cut of the diamond will not likely matter, but it’s always good to know as much as you can about a piece of vintage jewelry before buying.