DIAMOND BUYING GUIDE: BRILLIANT ROUND CUT

This is the most accomplished size of all diamond shapes. Some consider it the perfect diamond because of its proportions, symmetry, and polish that maximize its brilliance and therefore its sparkle. Elle is the result of several transformations and research to achieve this optimal result.

Before the 13th century, diamonds were not cut, it was thought that cutting them would remove all their virtues.

The round cut is the most sought after in the industry. It is also historically the oldest cut. For over a century, diamond cutters have used advanced scientific theories on light reflection and precise mathematical calculations to optimize its intensity and brilliance.

Its origin dates back to the middle of the 17th century, when diamond cutters began to use more refined and complex methods of cutting diamonds. The first brilliant cuts were known as Mazarin, named after its creator: Cardinal Mazarin, who in 1650 made the first cross-cut diamond.

Through a series of transformations and gradual development during the 18th century, Mazarin diamonds gave birth to the Portuguese Peruzzi cut "Old mine" or "old European cut" of the 1700s. It was not until 1919 that the modern round brilliant as we know it, was created. At the time, it was called the Tolkowsky cut after its creator, the Russian mathematician and diamond enthusiast: Marcel Tolkowsky.

Tolkowsky's work in 1919 established the basis of the ideal proportions of the round diamond.

The old cut diamond:
The old cut diamond existed before 1900: This gives the diamond a baroque style composed of 57 to 58 facets, a very high crown, and an open culet. Old cuts were most of the time adapted to the shape of their original rough state in order to minimize material loss, which is why some old cuts are closer to the cushion cut than the round cut.

Fun fact: Archduke Maximilian of Austria was the first man to propose to his wife with a diamond engagement ring! The lucky woman, Mary of Burgundy, is the first woman in a long line to receive a ring adorned with a diamond.

The modern cut diamond:
This so-called perfect cut was finalized in the 1960s, after numerous calculations. The goal of this new diamond cut is to achieve the greatest brilliance.

It is an improvement on the "old cut" which has existed for centuries.

The modern brilliant accentuates the diamond's sparkle and clarity. This is not the case with the European cut.

When the European cut was at its peak, stone cutters only had a small amount of rough diamonds and these were often less pure and of lower quality than those found today. The lapidaries tried to remedy this by cutting the diamonds to enhance their color and purity. The unique structure of the facets highlighted what each stone had to offer.

The cost of a European cut diamond:
The price of a European cut diamond should be lower than that of modern diamonds. These diamonds are dark, lack sparkle, in short, they do not have the ideal cut of modern diamonds. But their rarity and high carat volume mean that these diamonds are, in some cases, more expensive than their modern variants.

However, finding such diamonds is not easy. Due to the increasing demand for older diamonds, the cost is, in the end, not so far from that of a modern brilliant.

Transition cut between old and modern: Half cut

The half cut is more structured in its design. This transition cut only existed for about thirty years. These half-cut diamonds are less numerous than the old cuts, but they are more regular in size and more accomplished.

The quality of a diamond's cut refers to its proportions, symmetry, and polish. Therefore, it is one of the most important characteristics of a diamond. If its depth is too pronounced or too shallow, the light that penetrates the diamond's crown will escape instead of being reflected.