“A diamond is a chunk of coal that is made good under pressure” -Henry Kissinger. But diamonds not only look good. Diamond is a solid form of carbon that has the highest hardness and thermal conductivity of any natural material, qualities that are used in commercial and industrial work such as cutting and polishing equipment. They are most commonly known for their use as gemstones for adornment and as industrial cutting tools for hard materials.
The major gemological property of gem diamonds is the dispersing of white light into spectral colors. Cutting is a multi-step procedure that transforms mined raw diamonds into jewels. Diamonds are extraordinarily hard, but they’re also brittle, and a single hit can shatter them. As a result, diamond cutting has long been regarded as a delicate technique that necessitates talent, technical understanding, instruments, and experience. Its ultimate purpose is to create a faceted gem in which the particular angles in between facets improve the diamond luster, or white light dispersion, while the number and size of facets influence the final product’s weight.
Which Is A Better Choice, Round Cut Diamond Or Princess Cut Diamond?
On the basis of the cut, we see two types of diamonds: round-cut and princess-cut.
Round Cut: A round cut diamond is classically the first and most prevalent diamond given as a gesture of commitment. They have 58 facets and a classic standard and symmetrical shape, making them a brilliant cut. The faceting of round-cut diamonds also makes color and inclusions stand out more than in other fancy shapes. They have fewer flaws, more clarity, and are more forgiving because their multi-faceted cut and magnificent radiance can easily hide minor flaws.
Princess-Cut: Princess-cut stones, like the crystals that rank fractionally above them, are brilliant cut. Princess cuts are square (or rectangular) in shape, with pointed edges and nearly 56 small facets. Princess diamonds are ideal for more intricate ring designs like floral filigree, channel, cushion, elaborate vintage designs, and princess settings. Princess diamond engagement rings are also common in three-stone settings, despite the fact that princess stones refract considerably less light than round ones. The round cut is the most common and is responsible for 70% of all GIA-certified diamonds, whereas the princess cut accounts for just 5% of all certified diamonds.
Which Type Of Diamond Is More Pocket Friendly?
Because of demand and rough waste, round-cut diamonds command the highest price. As round gems are the most desirable, producers and suppliers tend to charge a premium for them because their scarcity is a concern. Diamonds cannot be created on the spur of the moment because they are a natural material. Second, rough diamonds come in a range of shapes and sizes when they are mined. There is no way of knowing the size or shape of the diamond that will be discovered. The form of the rough is frequently insufficient for creating a round diamond. The goal of a diamond cutter is to maximize carat weight. Round diamonds have the highest rough wastage, with rough utilization ranging from 28 to 38 percent, implying that more of that valuable raw material is wasted.
Princess cut diamonds are incredibly cost-effective for manufacturers. They use a substantial percentage of the raw diamond (about 60%-70%), which means that very little of the valuable basic raw material is wasted. As a result of the waste material, a princess cut diamond will cost less than a round diamond with the same carat weight. Accordingly, a rectangular stone would cost lesser than a square cut. Princess cuts bear more of their mass in the middle or belly. That implies they’ll appear smaller at the same carat weight as round brilliants because they’re deeper stones. This is because, unlike the round, their weight is distributed downward rather than to their sides. Meaning a one-carat round diamond will look much larger than a 1.2-carat princess cut.
While princess cut diamonds are more expensive than their counterparts, they are generally more affordable than round diamonds.
What Is The Diamond’s Shelf Life?
It is best to consider your lifestyle when choosing a diamond for a ring. Even though diamonds are extremely hard, 58 times stronger than corundum, the second hardest mineral on the planet, the edges (or girdle) of a diamond can be chipped. It’s possible to chip a diamond by striking it at precisely the correct angle and with just the appropriate impact. The prongs on the girdle of your ring are there to keep the diamond in position and avoid chipping.
Princess cuts are more prone to chipping. Because round diamonds do not have sharp corners or points, hence they are safer. So round-cut diamonds are more durable than princess cuts since they’re not prone to snagging and chipping. If you’re going for a princess cut, use bezels, half bezels, or V-shaped prongs to safeguard the fragile points or corners. The ring’s prongs perform an important role in keeping it secure. As a result, check to see whether your prongs are too short, crooked, or missing.
Various Designs Of Diamonds Available
Diamonds with a round cut are incredibly versatile. They’re frequently donned as a solitaire, as part of a two- or three-stone ring, or in combination with other bands. Because this is such a popular form, round-cut diamonds may be found in a wide range of settings. They usually come in four or six prong configurations. However, if the round cut gem is huge, it is better to attach it with six prongs rather than four.
Princess cut diamonds are often thought to be more current than round cut diamonds. They are commonly set in a four-prong setting, with one prong fastening each of the four corners of the diamond. Princess cut stones also look great in sophisticated channel settings, where they’re secured between inside vertical metal walls to form a channel or hallway. Floral filigree designs, the cushion princess design, and the princess diamond wrap all look great with them. All of these are more contemporary designs that suit the princess cut diamond’s unique appearance.
When a diamond is put in a specific setting, it takes on a new appearance. A princess-cut diamond, for example, looks particularly lovely in a three-stone setting, whilst a remarkable round diamond can shine in a halo setting.
It is also important to take into account the size and shape of the wearer’s hand. If the person wishes to buy a diamond of higher carats but their hand size is small, then a princess cut would be a better choice since it would look dainty and suit them better. Similarly, if the wearer has larger hands, then the round cut would stand out better than a princess cut of the same carat.
Does The Colour Of The Diamond Matter?
The quality of any diamond depends on its clarity and color. The more the diamond is a higher color grade, the more it will cost. Diamond color is graded by the G.I.A. (Gemmological Institute of America), with D being the highest and Z being the lowest. These letter grades are then divided into color groups. Colorless refers to the top three grades (D, E, and F). Near colorless diamonds are those that are graded with one of the next four grades (G, H, I, and J). The last three ranges are faint yellow (which includes the K, L, and M grades), very light yellow (which includes the N-O-P-Q-R grades), light yellow (which includes the N-O-P-Q-R grades), and yellow (grades S through Z).
Round diamonds diffract lighter than any other diamond shape due to their facet pattern and cutting technique. This means that the color tint of a round stone can be hidden by the brilliance, and an icy white look can be achieved without a high color grade. While D-F (colorless) diamonds have a cold, chilly aspect, they are extremely rare and hence expensive. As a practical buyer, the ideal color rating to get is a G color because you save the premiums while still getting a white diamond.
When it comes to color, a Princess Cut diamond requires a little more caution than a Round Brilliant diamond. Both bright cuts succeed in cutting up the light, making the true color of the rough material more difficult to see. For color, concentrate on I+. Lower color grades should be avoided. The yellow tinge is not hidden as well in princess cuts as it is in round diamonds. It is also important that the color of the diamond should match the setting it is used in. For example, a J or K grade princess cut would only look good in a yellow gold/rose gold setting.
What Are The Points Of Comparison Between Round Cut And Princess Cut Diamonds?
Round-cut stones are the traditional choice for engagement rings, which makes their demand high. That, combined with the fact that the rough wastage in making a round diamond is 60-70%, the cost of a round cut is higher than any other. They are larger in size than princess cuts and offer great versatility. They are suitable for an active lifestyle since they don’t possess a risk of snagging at the edges and chipping. They also offer high clarity as it is easy to hide flaws and color tints in the cut due to the high number of facets.
On the other hand, princess diamonds offer a new square design, which reduces the wastage to merely 30-40%, thus greatly reducing the cost of the diamond. They appear smaller than round cuts of the same carat, so they would make an excellent choice for someone looking for a dainty stone, or to be used in an intricate design. A princess-cut retains color better than a round stone, so the clarity slightly reduces unless a costlier diamond is purchased, of a higher color grade. They aren’t suitable for someone who uses their hands a lot since the corners are vulnerable to snagging and damaging. This can be taken care of by choosing an appropriate setting so that the edges of the diamond are protected.
What Methods Are Used For Grading Diamonds?
Gemmologists have developed methods for grading diamonds and other gemstones depending on the characteristics that are most important to their valuation as a gem. Four characteristics, known colloquially as the four Cs, are now widely used as basic descriptors of diamonds: mass in carats (a carat being equal to 0.2 g.), cut (quality of the cut is evaluated according to proportions, symmetry, and polish), color (how close to white or colorless it is; for fancy diamonds, how intense is its hue), and clarity (how free is it from impurities). A sizable, flawless diamond is referred to as a paragon. Natural diamonds have ages ranging from 1 billion to 3.5 billion years, making them extremely valuable. The majority originated between 150 and 250 kilometers deep in the Earth’s mantle, with a few reaching 800 kilometers.
Conclusion
Diamonds are expensive and require proper decision-making and consideration before any investment is made. Before buying a diamond, it is necessary that the person ensures purity and clarity so that they do not overpay for a low-clarity diamond or a fake one. There are various types of diamonds available in the market, of varying clarity, cut, color, and weight (carats). Each of those things affects the cost of the diamond differently, so a cumulation of them must be checked to get the best deal within the budget.
There are multiple things to be considered: how large is your budget, how big and how heavy you want the diamond to be, the person for whom it is and whether it would suit them, how active is your lifestyle, the ring setting and the material that you want the ring made out of, and personal preferences. There are multiple diamond-cut designs available, mainly princess cut and round cut. Both of them have their own advantages and disadvantages. So, these are all factors that should be considered, but personal preference is just as important. The best choice can be made by taking all these things into account and then making a decision.
