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Experts: why do French Cut diamonds cost so much? and other Q''s

missydebby

missydebby

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Apr 2, 2010
Messages
1,815
Hey my lovely diamond experts. Can you perhaps answer a coupla questions?

French cut diamonds are super expensive as side stones. Around 2k per carat compared to about 1k per carat for reg melee. Can you tell me why? Also, is this about the same for Carre cut side stones? Is it because they are more rare/less abundant?
 
I posted this on the other thread, but we have been sourcing them for some of our projects and they must be custom cut - french cuts are not otherwise available. So when you have to incur custom cutting costs on a handful of otherwise small stones, it really drives up the price. But I can say that they are stunning in person! It's very frustrating - jewelers don't use them because they are very expensive to source (or they are not familiar with them), but the reason they are so expensive is because they must be custom cut because jewelers don't ever use them!
 
Ah ha! Thanks Erica, I thought it was something like that.
 
I may be incorrect, but I think the cutter might only get a signle diamond from a cubic piece of rough when cutting a French Cut while they get two diamonds from similar rough when cutting princess or rounds. Maybe someone with more knowledge will chime in. There is no reason other than the limited market and the willingness to pay that makes them more costly than princess cuts unless my assumption is somewhat correct.
 
Missydebby, if it makes you feel any better the side stones for my Leon ring are $2200 per carat. Must be for the custom cutting. Here''s a link: http://www.artofplatinum.com/4images/details.php?image_id=505
 
Date: 5/29/2010 3:46:00 PM
Author: oldminer
I may be incorrect, but I think the cutter might only get a signle diamond from a cubic piece of rough when cutting a French Cut while they get two diamonds from similar rough when cutting princess or rounds. Maybe someone with more knowledge will chime in. There is no reason other than the limited market and the willingness to pay that makes them more costly than princess cuts unless my assumption is somewhat correct.
Click to expand...
In melee the labor cost is more than the the material cost by a large margin.
While material costs may make a small difference the big difference is labor.
With the more common shapes the cutting is done in an assemble line fashion fairly cheaply.
One cutter may spend years cutting one set of facets over and over again, while the next person cuts the next set.
Custom cuts are done by one to a few higher skilled cutters which is much more expensive.
 
Hey Debby, that really makes your ring all the more special, don''t you think?
 
Hey Debby, that really makes your ring all the more special, don''t you think?
 
I have no idea why that double posted. stupid computer.
 
Can anyone post a picture or graphic showing the difference between a french cut stone and a regular round? (Or direct me to a link?) I have NO idea of what the difference is!!!

And for those of you who have seen them both, how does the *look* and performance compare?

THANKS!
 
FrenchCutLine.JPG


French cut.
 
French%20Cut%2000001.JPG
 
FC.JPG


All by Diagem.
 
Hey all, didn''t mean to imply I wasn''t happy with my french cuts or even the price. I was asking because I just didn''t know and it had come up on another thread.

I am super stoked to be having the french cuts.
36.gif
 
Every time I see Diagem''s FC photos I just sit and stare. They are just so gorgeous!
 
Aaaaaaargh. Erica, you are killing me! I do love rectangular FCs so...
 
*typing in between drools*

Erica, question. Do rectangular French cuts cost more or around the same as square French cuts to source?
 
Gorgeous!!!
 
Same. Cutting them in any shape or proportions costs the same cutting fee and about the same price per carat.

Can someone explain to me the references I have seen to square cuts set upside down? Are these actual french cuts or some other square cut being set upside down to get a similar look? i''m not familiar with this technique and it''s piqued my curiosity!
 
it refers to Leon Mege's Antique Caliber Band


Linky-linky-linkerstein


(Please forgive my yodeling... I'm on a french cut high)
 
Oh, I do love French cuts.
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Oh my gosh. Those pictures just blew me away. Wow. French cuts are soooo incredibly unique. I love them a little too much.
 
WOW! Sooooooo interesting!

Thanks for the info, photos, and diagrams!
 
Ok, here''s another question... I''ve only ever seen French cuts small as side stones. Are they ever used as a larger main center stone? Why or why not?
 
Funny you should ask that! We''re going to be experimenting with this idea by re-cutting a diamond into a french cut for use as a center stone in an ring.
 
Seems to me it might have some of the qualities as a Rose cut?
 
Date: 5/30/2010 11:30:01 AM
Author: missydebby
Seems to me it might have some of the qualities as a Rose cut?
Click to expand...

Should be better than a rose cut. A rose cut has a flat bottom, not going to have as good a performance unless a mirror is place beneath that.
 
Date: 5/30/2010 12:35:37 PM
Author: Stone-cold11
Date: 5/30/2010 11:30:01 AM

Author: missydebby

Seems to me it might have some of the qualities as a Rose cut?
Click to expand...


Should be better than a rose cut. A rose cut has a flat bottom, not going to have as good a performance unless a mirror is place beneath that.
Click to expand...


Stone, what do you think the light performance of a large, oh lets say a carat, french cut would be?
 
Date: 5/29/2010 3:54:45 PM
Author: northyvr
Missydebby, if it makes you feel any better the side stones for my Leon ring are $2200 per carat. Must be for the custom cutting. Here's a link: http://www.artofplatinum.com/4images/details.php?image_id=505
Click to expand...
hey northyvr! i LOVE that ring.. it's just like a tiffany ring that i had tried on a while ago, it's GORGEOUS..i wish i could get it
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i had leon quote it for me too and it came to 3,000 without the diamonds.. a little too steep for me! what did your diamond cost come to?

i'm surprised these cost more than the french cuts.. do you know what kind of cut these are? square baguettes maybe?

ETA: when are you expecting your leon? i'll be waiting for pics of that beauty :)
 
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