a guide to
Diamond Cuts
Diamond Cuts
A diamond's cut is what brings it to life. It decides how light moves through the stone, how it sparkles and the character it gives a ring.
People often use "cut" and "shape" to mean the same thing, but they are slightly different. The shape is the outline you see from above, such as round, oval or emerald. The cut is how the facets are arranged and proportioned, which shapes how the diamond plays with light. This guide explains both, from the antique cuts we first fell in love with to the shapes you see most today.
Our Story
Where Our Love of Old Cuts Began
Henrietta & Co began by sourcing antique jewellery. Much of our early collection was made up of Old European Cut and Old Mine Cut diamonds in classic antique designs, and we still have a small collection of original antiques available to shop today.
Over the years, our founder, Melissa Holt, saw her favourite details from these vintage rings again and again. She brought them together in her own designs, and created our Celeste Diamonds®: an exclusive range of lab made diamonds, cut in the vintage styles that started it all.
The Basics
The Three Cut Styles
Almost every diamond falls into one of three cut styles.
Brilliant Cut
Triangular and kite-shaped facets that scatter light for maximum sparkle. Round, oval, pear and marquise diamonds are usually brilliant cut.
Step Cut
Long, rectangular facets in parallel rows, like a staircase. They give broader flashes of light and a mirror-like look. Emerald and Asscher cuts are step cuts.
Mixed Cut
A blend of the two, combining sparkle with a softer outline. Radiant and many cushion cuts are mixed cuts.
Antique Cuts
Antique Old Cut Diamonds
Before modern cutting tools, diamonds were shaped by hand and by eye, made to sparkle in candlelight. No two are exactly alike, which is a big part of their charm.
Old Mine Cut
Popular through the Georgian and Victorian eras. It has a softly square outline with rounded corners, a high crown, a small table and a large culet, often visible as a tiny circle at the centre of the stone. Cut entirely by hand, each one has its own slightly irregular charm.
Old European Cut
Popular through the Edwardian and Art Deco eras. It is round, with a high crown, a small table and a slightly smaller culet than an Old Mine Cut. Its broad facets give big, soft flashes of light, and it is the ancestor of today's round brilliant.
Our Diamonds
Our Celeste Diamond® Cuts
Our Celeste Diamonds® are exclusive to Henrietta & Co. Each one is lab made using solar energy and cut in one of four vintage styles, inspired by the antique diamonds we started with.
Old European Cut
Our signature. A round diamond cut in the style of the late 1800s, with a higher crown, wider facets and a chunkier look that gives a soft, glowing sparkle.
Emerald Cut
A rectangle of long, mirror-like step facets with a clean, architectural look. A favourite of the Art Deco period.
Antique Cushion Cut
An antique-style take on the elongated cushion cut, with softly squared edges, a higher crown, wider facets and a plumper look. Elegant on the hand, and a little different.
Old European Oval
All the elegance of an oval, with a higher crown, wider facets and the chunkier look of hand-cut diamonds from the early 20th century.
Oval Alternatives
Love an Oval? Meet Its Vintage Alternatives
Oval engagement rings are one of the most popular shapes right now, and it is easy to see why: the long, elegant outline flatters the hand and makes the diamond look generous. If you love that look but want something a little more unusual, these two vintage-inspired cuts give you the same flattering length with more character. We like to call them the cool older sisters of the oval.
Old European Oval
Keeps the classic oval outline, with the higher crown, wider facets and soft glow of an early 20th-century cut.
Antique Cushion Cut
Swaps the oval's curves for softly squared edges, with the same elongated length and a plumper, antique look.
Other elongated shapes worth a look are the pear, the marquise and the emerald cut, which all lengthen the finger in their own way.
Choosing
How to Choose a Diamond Cut
There is no right or wrong cut, only the one that suits them. A few things are worth thinking about.
- How it plays with lightBrilliant cuts sparkle brightly, step cuts give calm, mirror-like flashes, and old cuts have a softer glow with broad flashes of light.
- The setting it needsDifferent cuts suit different settings. Pointed shapes like the pear and marquise need claws that protect their tips, and elongated diamonds need a setting made for their shape. If you have your heart set on a particular setting, check it works with the cut you love.
- Modern or vintageOld Mine, Old European, cushion, emerald, Asscher and marquise cuts feel more vintage. Princess and radiant cuts feel more modern.
- Classic or uniqueRound and oval diamonds are the most common choices. Old cuts and antique-style cushions are seen far less often, if you want something that feels individual.
- Their handElongated shapes like ovals, pears and elongated cushions can make the finger look longer and slimmer.
Still deciding? Our guide on how to choose an engagement ring covers style, metal, ring size and timing.
Diamond Cut Questions
Your Questions Answered
How does a diamond's cut affect your ring?
The cut changes how the diamond reflects light, so it decides whether you get bright sparkle, mirror-like flashes or a soft glow. It also affects the setting, since some cuts need particular claws or shapes to hold them safely. And it sets the mood: some cuts feel modern, others vintage, and some are far more common than others.
What is the difference between a diamond's cut and its shape?
The shape is the diamond's outline, such as round, oval or emerald. The cut is how its facets are arranged and proportioned, which controls how it handles light. An oval, for example, is a shape, while a brilliant cut is the style of faceting it usually has.
What is an Old Mine Cut diamond?
An Old Mine Cut is an antique diamond cut by hand, popular from the early 1700s until the late 1800s. It has a softly square outline, a high crown, a small table and a large culet, which gives it a warm, romantic glow.
What is an Old European Cut diamond?
An Old European Cut is a round diamond, popular from the late 1800s until the 1930s, with a high crown, a small table and broad facets. It has a soft, glowing sparkle rather than the sharp flashes of a modern brilliant cut, and is the ancestor of today's round brilliant.
What is the difference between an Old Mine Cut and an Old European Cut?
The Old Mine Cut came first and has a softly square outline, while the Old European Cut is round. Old European Cuts are also more symmetrical, with a smaller culet, because they were cut with more advanced tools.
Do old cut diamonds sparkle less than modern diamonds?
They sparkle differently. Old cuts give broader, softer flashes of light rather than the bright, scattered sparkle of a modern brilliant, and many people choose them for exactly that reason.
What is a good alternative to an oval diamond?
If you love the length of an oval but want something more unusual, look at an Old European Oval or an elongated antique cushion cut. Pear, marquise and emerald cuts also lengthen the finger.
Which diamond cuts look the most vintage?
Old Mine and Old European cuts are true antique cuts. Cushion, emerald, Asscher and marquise shapes also have a strong vintage feel, as they were popular in the Victorian and Art Deco eras.
See Them in Person
Book a complimentary consultation at our Bath showroom, where you can see our Celeste Diamonds® and a select few loose diamonds up close.
Book a consultation with us