Rough Diamonds. Old Mine Cut diamonds. Rose cuts, round brilliants, old Europeans. Who knew there were so many words for…diamonds?! Well there are, and we’re going to get into all that, but today we’re talking about Rose Cut Diamonds. First, we need to identify what they are.
WHAT ARE ROSE CUT DIAMONDS?
You might think they’re the hot, new thing–but they’re actually very old! The term “rose cut” refers to a cut that is flat on the bottom and faceted on top. A rose cut will usually have around 24 facets, whereas a round brilliant (the most common of round diamond cuts) usually has 58 facets.
Diamonds have been worn in jewelry since as early as the 4th century BC. You may be surprised to know that rough diamonds do not come out of the ground as the sparkly beauties we see in jewelry store cases, but rather as uncut octahedral (usually) crystals. Cutters started polishing rough diamond crystal faces in the 1300’s, but they were still worn in their octahedral shape like the pendant we have below.
One of the earliest faceted cuts of diamonds was, you guessed it, the rose cut! There are even pieces of jewelry that still exist today which feature rose cuts from the 1600’s. In fact, rose cut and table cut diamonds were THE main cutting styles through the 1700’s, and the rose cut remained popular even through the 1800’s. The rose cut has remained on the diamond scene throughout all this time, and has re-surged in popularity recently with the increase in demand for antique jewelry.
WHY CHOOSE A ROSE CUT DIAMOND?
Diamond price is determined usually by four things: color, cut, clarity, and carat. For more information on diamond value, read our blog post on Understanding the Four C’s.
All factors being equal, however, carat (the weight of the diamond) is often the most important factor when determining value. The more a diamond weighs, the more expensive it usually is. With a rose cut, which is flat on the bottom, it will weigh less than a brilliant cut diamond with the same table width (measurement from one side to the other in millimeters.)
For instance, a 6.5mm brilliant cut diamond will usually weigh around 1.00 carat, meaning it will average between $6,000 and $7,000 in today’s market (though depending on quality, it can range from $2,000 to upwards of $20,000). That being said, a rose cut diamond that is also 6.5mm may only weigh approximately .50 carat, so it will be considerably less expensive even though it looks like the same size from the top. This makes a rose cut diamond a more affordable option for a bigger look.
For the nostalgic lover of antiques and history, the rose cut offers a unique appeal. This design comes from an era predating the modern technology and science of diamond cutting, it’s a trend that has withstood the test of time. Rose cut diamonds represent history, wisdom, and resilience.
If you are as smitten by rose cut diamonds as we are, come try them on at our store! We have a variety of rose cut and antique engagement ring options in stock, and our jewelry professionals would love to answer any questions you may have about them.
If you have some antique jewelry with rose cuts and are interested in having it appraised, check out our blog post Do I Need An Appraisal?
Jordan Rayne
GIA Diamonds Graduate, GIA AJP
Designer and Consultant for HPerry Jewelers since 2013