Which really looks bigger - Round Brilliant or Princess?

[evansjm1]

I''ve read that a Round Brilliant stone in the same weight as a Princess cut will look bigger. But that doesn''t make a whole lot of sense to me. I realize that typically the diameter of a RB will be wider than the width of a Princess of the same weight. But when your eye looks at a Princess, there is also the diagonal corner-to-corner view which is larger than the diameter of the comparable RB. So which really looks bigger? Seems to me that the Princess would because of its points.

For example, say I''m comparing 2 stones, both 1.5 carats.

The RB is 7.5mm in diameter and the Princess is 6.4mm wide.

But, the diagonal corner-to-corner length of the Princess is 9.05mm.

Doesn''t that mean that the Princess will actually look bigger than the RB of the same carat weight?

I''m confused!

Any insight?

 

[Paul-Antwerp]

You are raising a very interesting point that I have also brought up in the past.

If you look at the face-up surface-area of a round and a princess, a round clearly has a bigger surface for the same weight. That is why most regulars on the forum here will automatically tell you that a round looks bigger.

However, my point is that our eyes (and brains) play tricks with us, and the long diagonal diameter of a princess is an example of that. If a princess is cut in such a way that this long diameter is highlighted, I am sure that the princess will seem bigger. Unfortunately, not many cutters make the effort of highlighting this long diameter.

This can be very easily observed in the ASET-picture of a princess. If you see a long, almost uninterrupted red area from corner to corner, it means that you get back a lot of brightness over the diagonal diameter. If you have that, you can fool a lot of people, including professionals, into thinking that your diamond weighs a lot more than it does.

Live long,

 

[DiamondFlame]

There''s something about rounded edges that give the illusion of size, of ''filling out''.
Try setting a princess with corners set N-S and E-W. It might look a tad larger.

 

[kcoursolle]

If you set a princess "kite set" or "star set" it will look quite a bit larger, and this is because of the point you raised about the diagonal being larger.

 

[Fly Girl]

Date: 4/14/2009 11:44:08 AM
Author: Paul-Antwerp
You are raising a very interesting point that I have also brought up in the past.

If you look at the face-up surface-area of a round and a princess, a round clearly has a bigger surface for the same weight. That is why most regulars on the forum here will automatically tell you that a round looks bigger.

However, my point is that our eyes (and brains) play tricks with us, and the long diagonal diameter of a princess is an example of that. If a princess is cut in such a way that this long diameter is highlighted, I am sure that the princess will seem bigger. Unfortunately, not many cutters make the effort of highlighting this long diameter.

This can be very easily observed in the ASET-picture of a princess. If you see a long, almost uninterrupted red area from corner to corner, it means that you get back a lot of brightness over the diagonal diameter. If you have that, you can fool a lot of people, including professionals, into thinking that your diamond weighs a lot more than it does.

Live long,

Just wanted to add that Crafted by Infinity princess cuts are known by their big red X''s in the ASET images, and they are gorgeous stones. Here is an example.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Date: 4/14/2009 11:44:08 AM
Author: Paul-Antwerp
You are raising a very interesting point that I have also brought up in the past.

If you look at the face-up surface-area of a round and a princess, a round clearly has a bigger surface for the same weight. That is why most regulars on the forum here will automatically tell you that a round looks bigger.

However, my point is that our eyes (and brains) play tricks with us, and the long diagonal diameter of a princess is an example of that. If a princess is cut in such a way that this long diameter is highlighted, I am sure that the princess will seem bigger. Unfortunately, not many cutters make the effort of highlighting this long diameter.

This can be very easily observed in the ASET-picture of a princess. If you see a long, almost uninterrupted red area from corner to corner, it means that you get back a lot of brightness over the diagonal diameter. If you have that, you can fool a lot of people, including professionals, into thinking that your diamond weighs a lot more than it does.

Live long,

Hi Paul,
I think that is a rather big ask - for a princess cut to appear as large (not be as large - but to look as large) as a round brilliant.

A 1ct well cut princess might be say 5.42mm square and an equivalent round 6.47mm so there is a 10.7% difference in surface area or a same sized surface area as a 1ct round = a princess 1.19ct.

I understand your point about the dominant star concept, however in my own testing (posted some years ago on a discussion involving Valeria) I have always found people precieve even the same size surface area princess as being smaller because (probably) the edge light return on the round is better than the princess.

However the good news for princess lovers is that the results on that earlier thread showed there was not much difference in the price per square mm - because most fancy shapes cost less per carat (presumably because the yeild is often better).

If anyone can find the old thread - it was rather interesting.

 

[Diamond Explorer]

I think the value is definitely there for fancy cuts of all shapes, especially in larger sizes. I think fancies are more graceful than rounds generally in diamonds above 5cts. Large rounds kinda just look like spotlights to me. Pears and emerald cuts are my favorites in plus sizes. I have seen a couple really large princesses that were nice too.

 

[Imdanny]

Date: 4/14/2009 6:40:05 PM
Author: Fly Girl

Date: 4/14/2009 11:44:08 AM

Author: Paul-Antwerp

You are raising a very interesting point that I have also brought up in the past.


If you look at the face-up surface-area of a round and a princess, a round clearly has a bigger surface for the same weight. That is why most regulars on the forum here will automatically tell you that a round looks bigger.


However, my point is that our eyes (and brains) play tricks with us, and the long diagonal diameter of a princess is an example of that. If a princess is cut in such a way that this long diameter is highlighted, I am sure that the princess will seem bigger. Unfortunately, not many cutters make the effort of highlighting this long diameter.


This can be very easily observed in the ASET-picture of a princess. If you see a long, almost uninterrupted red area from corner to corner, it means that you get back a lot of brightness over the diagonal diameter. If you have that, you can fool a lot of people, including professionals, into thinking that your diamond weighs a lot more than it does.


Live long,

Just wanted to add that Crafted by Infinity princess cuts are known by their big red X''s in the ASET images, and they are gorgeous stones. Here is an example.

Nice image!

 

[Paul-Antwerp]

Date: 4/15/2009 3:41:20 AM
Author: Garry H (Cut Nut)

Date: 4/14/2009 11:44:08 AM
Author: Paul-Antwerp
You are raising a very interesting point that I have also brought up in the past.

If you look at the face-up surface-area of a round and a princess, a round clearly has a bigger surface for the same weight. That is why most regulars on the forum here will automatically tell you that a round looks bigger.

However, my point is that our eyes (and brains) play tricks with us, and the long diagonal diameter of a princess is an example of that. If a princess is cut in such a way that this long diameter is highlighted, I am sure that the princess will seem bigger. Unfortunately, not many cutters make the effort of highlighting this long diameter.

This can be very easily observed in the ASET-picture of a princess. If you see a long, almost uninterrupted red area from corner to corner, it means that you get back a lot of brightness over the diagonal diameter. If you have that, you can fool a lot of people, including professionals, into thinking that your diamond weighs a lot more than it does.

Live long,

Hi Paul,
I think that is a rather big ask - for a princess cut to appear as large (not be as large - but to look as large) as a round brilliant.

A 1ct well cut princess might be say 5.42mm square and an equivalent round 6.47mm so there is a 10.7% difference in surface area or a same sized surface area as a 1ct round = a princess 1.19ct.

I understand your point about the dominant star concept, however in my own testing (posted some years ago on a discussion involving Valeria) I have always found people precieve even the same size surface area princess as being smaller because (probably) the edge light return on the round is better than the princess.

However the good news for princess lovers is that the results on that earlier thread showed there was not much difference in the price per square mm - because most fancy shapes cost less per carat (presumably because the yeild is often better).

If anyone can find the old thread - it was rather interesting.

You have a point, Garry,

But your own testing did not involve a stone like the one FlyGirl posted the ASET of. Most ASET''s of princess-cuts will be red in the table-area and not in the crown-area. In this example, you see the diagonal diameter highlighted AND a red area centrally on the side-edge.

This design is as such because a certain Garry Holloway taught me about edge-to-edge light return in rounds. Thank you for that.

Live long,

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

 

[makemepretty]

I had a 1.5ct princess and was told it looked like a 2ct on my fingers(size 4 1/4-4.5). I think the v-tips made it look a little bit larger too. It was gorgeous. However, when I went for an upgrade, I did get an RB. They sparkle more to me.

 

[evansjm1]

Appreciate the feedback everyone!