Princess Cut Diamond Buying Guide

Despite its name, the princess cut is not the oldest diamond cut. It first came out in the 1980s having been created for diamond lovers who wanted great sparkle and brilliance but preferred a shape other than the round cut.

The shape was a product of diamond cutters Israel Itzkowitz and Betzalel Ambar.

The princess cut is much more affordable than a round cut mainly because less of the diamond rough is wasted. While up to 80% of the diamond rough can be used to create the princess cut, up to 50% is wasted when cutting the round diamond.

Princess cut diamonds that are around 1 carat may cost anywhere between $1000 and $8000 depending on the cut quality. When shopping for your princess cut, make sure to buy one with a GIA or AGS certification.

Check the symmetry and polish of the princess cut and ensure also that it has a very good cut grade.

The princess cut has a larger table facet than a round cut diamond. However, the round cut is more brilliant since its pavilion is larger allowing it to refract more light.

The princess cut is the most popular diamond shape among fancy cut diamonds and comes second only to the round cut diamond. Up to 30% of all diamonds sold will be princess cuts.

Whenever you are shopping for your princess cut, ensure that you do so from reliable sellers. We recommend buying from the best online sellers James Allen and Blue Nile.

Check their returns policy and make sure that they can provide you with 360-degree videos of the diamond. Cut grades are not given for fancy cut diamonds and ultimately the best way to judge the quality of a princess cut diamond is to see how it performs under the light.