Princess Cut Lab Grown Engagement Rings

A square with real fire

The princess cut is a square or nearly square brilliant. Seen from the side it looks like an upside down pyramid. Its facets are arranged to throw lively, crossing flashes of light, so it sparkles almost as much as a round while giving a crisp, modern outline. It also tends to be good value, because cutters waste less of the rough crystal making a square stone.

What to check on a princess cut

Squareness

Most people want a princess that looks square. A length to width ratio between 1.00 and 1.05 reads as square to the eye. Up to about 1.10 starts to look slightly rectangular, which some people prefer. Measure it on the report, then confirm by eye.

Depth and table

Princess cuts are deeper than rounds. A total depth of roughly 64 to 75 percent is common, with a table around 67 to 75 percent. Too deep and the stone hides its weight in the bottom and looks small. Too shallow and it can look glassy, with dark corners. If two stones have the same weight, the one that measures larger across the top usually gives you more visible diamond.

Even corners

Look at all four corners under magnification. They should be sharp, even and free of nicks. A chip on a corner is the most common damage to a princess, and it often happens before the stone is ever set if it was handled carelessly. We check this before any stone reaches your tray.

Protect the corners

The pointed corners are the delicate part. Choose a setting with V prongs, also called chevron prongs, that wrap each corner. Every setting on this page can be made with a princess center, and we fit corner prongs on all of them. A bezel or a halo also shields the edges well if you work with your hands.

Color and clarity

Like other square shapes, a princess can show a little color in the corners. In white gold or platinum, G or H is a sensible range. The busy brilliant faceting hides inclusions well, so VS2 or a clean SI1 is usually eye clean. Check that no inclusion sits right at a corner, since that can make the tip more likely to chip.

How big it looks

A princess cut measures a little smaller across than a round of the same weight, because so much depth sits below the girdle. Its square corners cover more of the finger, though, so on the hand it often looks similar in size. Set in a halo, a princess can look a full size larger.

Settings that suit it

• Four prong solitaire with V prongs for a clean square look.
• Halo, square or with softened corners, to add size and sparkle.
• Three stone with trapezoid or princess side stones for a geometric row.
• Channel set band, which suits the straight lines of the cut.

At your viewing

Ask to see a princess next to a radiant and a cushion of similar weight. All three are square-ish, and seeing them side by side quickly shows you which outline you like. Then look at the corners under the loupe with us.

Our shapes guide compares all eight shapes. Send your size and budget through the loose diamond request and book a viewing in Suite 805, or call (732) 581-7932.