There comes a moment, often fuelled by equal parts anticipation and pragmatism, when an affluent couple begins the search for an engagement ring that feels unmistakably modern yet inherently timeless. Enter the princess cut diamond. First perfected in 1979, this square‑shouldered marvel marries the scientific rigour of contemporary cutting with the head‑turning fire once reserved for the classic round brilliant. Through the panes of a London showroom window, the princess cut’s bold geometry flashes like a city skyline at dusk, demanding attention while promising enduring sophistication. Crucially, it does all this with an efficiency of material that translates directly into value, allowing buyers to secure a larger or finer stone without inflating the budget. In an era where every purchase is measured for both emotional resonance and financial wisdom, the princess cut stands ready to deliver on both counts.

Modern Icon of Brilliance

Despite its relatively brief history, the princess cut is now the second most‑requested diamond shape worldwide, accounting for nearly a third of UK engagement ring sales. Its appeal rests on two pillars: architectural definition and scintillation. The crisp, right‑angled outline offers the clean lines favoured by contemporary design, while a pavilion arranged in chevron facets releases a blaze of white light and rainbow fire. Because cutters retain up to 80 % of the original rough, a princess cut diamond typically costs less per carat than its round counterpart. The result is a stone that looks strikingly large for the money spent – a powerful draw in London’s competitive luxury market.

From Medieval Squares to Cutting‑Edge Craft

The square diamond is no new fancy. Fourteenth‑century lapidaries experimented with table cuts that echoed the natural octahedral form of rough crystals, conserving weight long before computer modelling existed. Fast‑forward to the Art Deco 1920s and the sharply faceted French cut dominated platinum‑set jewellery, its geometry mirroring the era’s fascination with modern architecture.

True breakthrough, however, arrived amid the innovation boom of the late 1960s and 1970s. South African cutter Basil Watermeyer’s Barion and the Israeli Quadrillion made strides, yet each faced commercial hurdles. The decisive leap came in 1979 when Betazel Ambar, Ygal Perlman and Israel Itzkowitz introduced a square stone whose pavilion chevrons drove light back to the eye with unprecedented vivacity. They christened it the Princess Cut. Within a decade, London, New York and Hong Kong boutiques were championing this “new classic”, proving that a design barely out of its infancy could still claim historic gravitas.

Why Efficiency Equals Value

Diamond cutting is an exercise in sacrifice: create brilliance, lose weight. A round brilliant finishes at roughly 40 % of its rough starting mass. By contrast, the pyramid‑like geometry of the princess cut mirrors a natural, rough crystal, preserving up to 80 %. For a buyer, that difference manifests as either a larger visible spread or an upgrade in colour and clarity for the same spend. On a typical Hatton Garden price list, a 1.20 carat princess of high quality sits where a 1.00 carat round would otherwise reside. In economic terms, the princess cut is a lesson in intelligent resource management, aligning perfectly with a luxury market that prizes fiscal discretion alongside aesthetic flair.

Judging Excellence – Beyond the Certificate

Round brilliants receive an all‑important overall Cut grade from the GIA. Fancy shapes do not, leaving consumers to interpret raw proportion data. The American Gem Society does grade princess cuts, yet AGS‑certified stones remain scarce. Consequently, the informed buyer – often guided by a Hatton Garden jeweller – learns to read the blueprint themselves.

Key Proportions to Target

Metric	Recommended Range	Why It Matters
Total depth	71 % – 75 %	Shallow stones leak light, deep stones look small. This band balances spread with sparkle.
Table	68 % – 72 %	A smaller table relative to depth intensifies fire by enlarging crown facets.
Crown height	10.5 % – 14 %	Extra height allows light to disperse into vivid flashes of colour.
Symmetry	Excellent or Very Good	Ensures squared edges, aligned chevrons and even contrast.

Chevron Patterns Explained

Two chevrons – bold, broad flashes that read like spotlights.
Three chevrons – a balanced blend of broad brilliance and lively scintillation.
Four chevrons – rapid, pinpoint sparkle that some describe as a “crushed ice” effect.

Fun Fact: The term princess cut was coined only in 1979, yet the design now out‑sells every fancy shape in the UK, surpassing cushions and ovals combined.

Colour and Clarity – Spend Smart

The deep corners of a princess cut can trap body colour, especially when set in platinum. For an ice‑white appearance choose D–F. Pairing with yellow or rose gold lets buyers step to G–H while the warm metal masks any faint tint. Clarity offers a welcome reprieve: the kaleidoscopic facet map hides tiny inclusions better than step‑cuts. Natural stones graded VS2 or eye‑clean SI1 typically appear perfectly pristine; lab‑grown equivalents in VVS1–VS1 keep costs lean without compromising the visual result. Always avoid inclusions sitting in the four sharp corners, as these act like fracture points under daily wear.

Visual Nuances to Inspect

Contrast: Balanced light‑to‑dark patterning inside the table provides the backdrop against which brilliance pops. Uneven contrast makes a stone look confused.

Table outline: A subtly indented, almost cushion‑shaped table shrinks the flat facet area, boosting fire along the crown.

Polish & symmetry: While polish often receives marketing fanfare, impeccable symmetry is the workhorse that keeps pavilion chevrons firing in synchronicity.

Spotlight Box – Ideal Princess Cut Checklist

GIA report confirming laser inscription
Depth 71 – 75 %, table 68 – 72 %
Crown height ≥ 11 % (ask your jeweller to verify)
At least Very Good symmetry and polish
No inclusions in corners
Chevron pattern matched to personal taste
Princess cut diamond set with protective V‑claws

Princess Cut Against Its Rivals

Choosing a diamond shape is as much a statement of personality as of taste. The princess cut diamond sits in an energetic marketplace alongside the round brilliant, cushion and emerald. Understanding where each wins and loses ensures a purchase that feels authentic rather than fashionable.

Feature	Princess Cut	Round Brilliant	Cushion Cut	Emerald Cut
Overall style	Modern, architectural, bold	Timeless, classic, traditional	Vintage, romantic, soft	Elegant, Art Deco, refined
Sparkle profile	Intense brilliance and fire	Maximum brilliance and fire	Crushed‑ice sparkle, high fire	Hall‑of‑mirrors flashes
Key strength	Superior value, contemporary edge	Peerless light return	Vintage charm, soft focus fire	Highlights clarity, sleek lines
Primary weakness	Vulnerable corners	Highest price per carat	Can appear smaller, traps colour	Needs high clarity and colour
Durability	Lower – protective setting needed	High	High – rounded corners	Medium – bevelled corners
Price per carat	££	££££	££	£££

A shopper willing to trade a fraction of top‑end sparkle for meaningful savings and a bigger face‑up spread finds the princess unbeatable. Those intent on maximum light return regardless of cost will still gravitate to the round. Vintage romantics love the cushion, while connoisseurs of understated clarity prefer the emerald.

“Diamonds may be forever, yet style is personal. Matching the cut to the wearer guarantees the stone feels current fifty years from now.”

princess cut, engagement ring, diamond buying

Settings That Guard And Glamour

Sharp corners create the princess cut signature, yet they also introduce risk. The correct setting shields those points while amplifying light.

Protective champions

V‑prong claws – metal shaped into a neat V cups each corner, adding minimal bulk and optimal safety.
Bezel – a high polished rim encircles the stone for maximum defence and a sleek contemporary line.
Halo – pavé melee forms a sparkling frame that absorbs minor knocks and makes the centre appear up to 25 % larger.

Style forward options

Classic solitaire – four or six claws let the geometry breathe; specify V‑prongs.
Three stone – symbolic past–present–future narrative, often with tapered baguettes or smaller princess sides.
Channel band – rows of edge‑to‑edge princess diamonds in the shank give continuous sparkle.
Compass (kite) – stone rotated forty‑five degrees so corners aim north–south–east–west, lending avant‑garde drama and the illusion of extra size.

Spotlight Box – Setting Checklist

Corners fully covered by metal
Balanced height above finger for comfort
Smooth gallery free from snag points
Secure seat cut exactly to girdle size
Ample light windows to maintain brilliance

Selecting Your Metal

The metal frame influences both appearance and longevity. Four noble options dominate British workshops.

Property	Platinum	White Gold	Yellow Gold	Rose Gold
Colour	Naturally bright white	Rhodium‑plated bright white	Warm rich yellow	Soft blush pink
Durability	Very high – dense, tough	High – hard yet needs plating	Medium – softer	High – copper adds strength
Maintenance	Develops patina, easy polish	Re‑plate every 12–18 months	Occasional polish	Minimal upkeep
Hypoallergenic	Yes	Often contains nickel	Usually yes	Usually yes
Price guide	££££	£££	£££	£££
Ideal match	Ice‑white D–F stones	Platinum look on budget	Vintage warmth, G–H stones	Modern romance

Fun Fact: Platinum’s density is nearly double that of gold, so a platinum ring feels reassuringly weighty – a tactile reminder of quality every time it slips onto the finger.

When absolute whiteness and lifelong security top the wish list, platinum leads. White gold brings similar optics for less yet demands occasional spa visits for fresh rhodium. Yellow and rose gold introduce colour contrast that flatters lower colour grades and vintage‑inspired designs.

Hatton Garden Buyer Guide

No UK address rivals Hatton Garden for diamond expertise. Yet a cluster of shopfronts alone does not guarantee excellence. Seek the following signals:

Verified credentials

GIA‑trained gemologists on staff
On‑site workshop for tight quality control
Full British hallmark and GIA certificate supplied without prompt

Transparent pricing

A reputable dealer shares detailed break‑downs rather than percentage‑off claims. They invite clients to compare loose stones under neutral daylight lamps, educating rather than pressuring.

The Bespoke Journey

Private consultation – discuss lifestyle, budget, aesthetic.
Diamond selection – view two or three GIA princess candidates that hit the target proportions.
CAD preview – lifelike render confirms every angle, easing any nerves.
Craft – master setter secures the stone, polisher finishes to mirror shine.
Presentation – final appraisal and valuation documents supplied for insurance.

Many Houses record the process on video, gifting clients a short film that captures the making of their ring, an experience almost as meaningful as the proposal itself.

Symbolic Power Of The Square

Shapes speak. The perfect square suggests strength, stability and order. Its fiery interior represents passion within defined boundaries – love grounded as well as thrilling. Owners often describe the princess cut as a declaration of leadership tempered by romance, equally at home in a boardroom or a ballroom.

Final Reflection

The princess cut emerged from a quest to fuse efficiency with spectacle, and in doing so it re‑shaped the luxury engagement ring sector. Its sharp outline frames a blaze of colour, its cutting method rewards the savvy shopper and its adaptable style bridges traditional and avant‑garde. Whether secured in cool platinum claws or warmed by rose gold, a well‑chosen princess cut engagement ring carries an unmistakable air of contemporary elegance that will stand firm long after fashion swings anew.

A seasoned Hatton Garden setter once remarked, “Square brilliance shows that love can be logical and still set the heart alight.” In other words, measure carefully, choose wisely, and let your diamond speak for itself.