why does PS hate princess cuts?

[arkieb1]

My cousin got given a large one in the early 90s when they were really in fashion, it was a magnificent cut and a stunning stone, I still remember it, as she is now married to someone else.... They have a different faster scintillation pattern to a lot of other types of cuts, some people prefer lots of fine flashes rather than larger bold flashes you see with other shapes.

The key to any diamond is buying a well cut one because that is what gives a diamond the overall fire, princess cuts are no exception so provided you find one that is a decent cut you should be O.K.

 

[divya]

thanks for everyone's input!! I will go try on some rings again with different shaped center stones to be sure I like princesses best.

lol the name is cheesy I agree!

Thanks for the pics yas, i've seen your ring before its beautiful! did you look for a well cut stone?

 

[tyty333]

Yasssss- now that's the way to do a princess! Lovely!

 

[HappyNewLife]

I personally prefer the biggest bang for my buck, since diamonds are so darn expensive. So, round brilliant appeals to me the most. There's something more pleasing to me about a circle than a square too

 

[fritzi]

It is all a matter of preference. I have never cared for traditional round diamonds although they are obviously very classic. I grew up always wanting a princess cut engagement ring but once I tried them on I did not care for how they looked on my hand. I think, for me, the pointy edges were not as soft of a look as I was hoping for. I ended up trying a cushion and knew it was right for me. I always thought of it as a princess with the corners cut off. I had never heard of a cushion before but felt like it was exactly what I was looking for when I tried it on. I now have an asscher which is also square but with the corners cut off. A princess will definitely have more sparkle than my asscher but I like the clean lines and the illusion that the diamond is so deep that it goes on forever. Just my preference.

 

[Zizzy]

I'm with eirwen: I personally prefer step cuts, particularly emerald cuts. I like their architectural elegance and find the corners and "busy" sparkle of princess cuts less attractive. It's entirely subjective though. Princess cuts are still pretty popular here in the UK.

If I could only have one diamond, it would have to be a MRB - I know - boring! But if I win the lottery, a honking great emerald cut with a platinum split shank is winging my way!

 

[Zizzy]

OMG Fritzi! Your cat! So beautiful.

 

[fritzi]

OMG Fritzi! Your cat! So beautiful.

Thank you!

 

[MixedPeel]

Even though this thread is several weeks old, I thought as a Princess Cut lover - hate the name, love the cut, I would add my opinion.
I found PS when looking to find the best specs for a Princess Cut. After many hours of reading and research there is not much. Even the size in mm varies. Not useful!

I have read every single thread on this cut on PS. The very early threads usually had quite narky tones - the 'why would you want this when you can have a RB' to the more recent threads and posts saying 'let's find the best stone possible for your budget'. Much nicer!

For me, I LOVE the square modified brilliant. The straight lines appeals to my need for symmetry and right angles. It still has the sparkle of a RB, the straightness of the emerald and asscher.

 

[Sphene]

Yes the name is off putting

I have got to admit though I own one it is not my favorite cut and it stays mostly at the bottom of the Jewellery cabinet

 

[luv2sparkle]

I remember a lot of folks having problems with the corner getting hit and chipping or splitting. It is important that the corners are well protected in your setting.

 

[yasssss]

Even though this thread is several weeks old, I thought as a Princess Cut lover - hate the name, love the cut, I would add my opinion.
I found PS when looking to find the best specs for a Princess Cut. After many hours of reading and research there is not much. Even the size in mm varies. Not useful!

I have read every single thread on this cut on PS. The very early threads usually had quite narky tones - the 'why would you want this when you can have a RB' to the more recent threads and posts saying 'let's find the best stone possible for your budget'. Much nicer!

For me, I LOVE the square modified brilliant. The straight lines appeals to my need for symmetry and right angles. It still has the sparkle of a RB, the straightness of the emerald and asscher.

yay another princess lover! although I have to admit, after spending so much time on PS, princess may not be my favorite, I am lusting over the charm and character of all the OECs! But when I was ring shopping, I tried on cushions, RBs, and princesses, and I just liked the way the princess looked on my hand. It may be a dated cut but I felt my hands looked young. they're also very popular in my social circle so that may have influenced me. I do like the sleek lines as well and I love the juxtaposition of the princess against the rounds in my pave and my wedding band.

oh, and thanks tyty333! I do love my setting!

 

[partgypsy]

I am also a big believer, of get what you love. Even if the cut itself is not as popular, if you always wanted one, and have tried them on and like how they look on you, that is what is most important. Other people have mentioned other cuts that are more angular than rounds if you want something that is more geometrical or clean, but not a round. But I agree, try to find one that is an excellent cut. A long time back someone posted a princess cut ring (I believe it was KWAIT) and it took my breath away.

 

[sunshinedance]

definitely not just PS, but seems like everyone hates princess cuts! I liked them before and had my heart set on them but ended up going with a round! felt like a safer choice, plus I dont want to look dated in 5 minutes

 

[kb1gra]

Princess cuts remind me of my sister in law, who is doing everything she can to cling to 2002 and pretend she isn't 35 with two kids. It just feels passe to me at this point in time.

 

[Queenie60]

I dont like pointy corners. If I wanted something like a princess I would get a radiant (they are not that popular either on PS).
Some of them have faceting patterns like a princess but without the corners.

Ex...
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/0.81-carat-e-color-vs1-clarity-sku-294261
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/0.72-carat-f-color-si1-clarity-sku-460973
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.01-carat-j-color-vs2-clarity-sku-402474

But...get what you like! You will be wearing it and we will be glad to help you find a nice princess!

I see many of your replies on PS and you are very helpful and nice! Just wanted to say that to you - you always offer great advise!

 

[Jambalaya]

Well, I like princess cuts very much. I don't own one and am not in the market for buying much more jewelry at this point in my life, but I'd love a princess bezel pendant like the one Brian Gavin does plus some square princess studs. Possibly I'm wrong, but I thought they faced up large because although each side might seem small in mm, the diagonal measurement from corner to corner is longer. I think the clean lines of the square can look stunning in the right setting - quite Art Deco. James Allen has some lovely bezel settings for princess cuts - one fine and one thick and chunky. I think they can look really modern and arty also. Like this:

 

[Jambalaya]

For some reason I'm having difficulty finding the princess version of this fine bezel but it can be made that way. I also think a princess would look great in this finer version of the above. It's all to do with how you set it, and I think marquise nad princess can both look really Nineties in a fussy setting, I think a setting with clean lines like this makes the stones modern and arty. JMO.

 

[AprilBaby]

Princess cut are too sharp for me. I love the curve of an oval or pear or cushion. Just overall softer.

 

[KarenD]

Your ring is stunning!!! I personally love princess cut!
You really did great.

 

[Sphene]

The facet pattern is very busy and unlike RBs which you can evaluate by numbers its very hard to find a really good cut princess I personally detest the cross pattern you get in some

 

[yasssss]

Your ring is stunning!!! I personally love princess cut!
You really did great.

I don't think Divya ever posted her ring, hope she does!

 

[LLJsmom]

Another nay to the pointy corners, which require you prong there, which accentuates the corners even more, and makes the whole angular look even more severe.

I prefer softened corners (cushion), or cut corners (Asscher yay!!).

To each her own though. Get what you love, and I guess you did. You're the looking at it all day...

 

[AdaBeta27]

I too have notice that princess cuts have had fallen out of popularity compared to a couple yrs ago. Nowadays the hot cuts seem to be asschers and cushions behind RBs.

Asschers might be staging a slight comeback, but I think their heyday on PS was back in what, 2006-2008 or so. Halos hit around 2004, and as I recall, Asschers were all the rage about 2 years later. Then there was a small flurry of people trading their Asschers in on H&R RBs.

reasons to not be wild about princess:
1. Princess is something I sort of like, but would not choose if I could only own one diamond. It ,like radiant, is a more contemporary make, and I prefer the more traditional square-ish stones like Asscher or cushion, if I'm considering square stones.
2. I have it my head that princess originated as a way to make something marketable out of the piece of rough that is left over after the desired RB was cut. As such, the first ones were mostly abysmal stones (performance-wise) that must have been cut to retain weight, because they sure didn't have the looks. Then the cut improved over the years, and there are some gorgeous ones out there now.
3. Pointy corners vulnerable to fractures and breakage, as was pointed out.
4. Princess stones concentrate color / tint. An I color princess looks definitely pale yellow to me. imo, you have to go a lot higher color in princess to get one looking white or colorless. The points plus the depth concentrate the tint far worse than round stones do.

I think of princess stones as something that younger women choose. There's nothing wrong with that, but they just kind of look a bit startling on middle-aged women, to me. And I've never seen an elderly woman wearing one.

 

[Dancing Fire]

[quote="AdaBeta27|
I think of princess stones as something that younger women choose. There's nothing wrong with that, but they just kind of look a bit startling on middle-aged women, to me. And I've never seen an elderly woman wearing one.[/quote]



At what age do you consider as "elderly"?...

 

[kenny]

... what age do you consider as "elderly"?...

One year before YOUR age!

 

[Area57]

this is something I was worried about too divya. I loved the princess cut when I was getting engaged but I was worried that it would look too dated. nearly a year later, I love my ring more than ever! like others has said, it comes down to personal preference, and maybe shop with a vendor that has an upgrade policy , just in case princesses do face up smaller, which is unfortunate, but they are priced lower too. Someone had make a comment to me when i first got engaged and i was bummed that my center stone looked smaller than it was and i took to pricescope to ask about it. that only ever happened once though and really you can't worry about what other people think or what the trend is, you just have to love it yourself! and if you're going through pics , let me show you my ring, and maybe make a case for these beauties

Who made a comment? About it being small? It's huge! What world were they living in! What is the carat weight of that beautiful example of a princess cut?

I think princess cuts are really cool, I'm really new, but I do know what looks good and what doesn't. The princess cut seems to be one of the most popular cuts in my part of the world. I think it's in the top three.

It really does show the flaws though, if I had to gather a guess, I would think that would be the reason for people to not like it, because really only SI2 and up stones look good with that cut.

But maybe that is also something to help its case, no? It doesn't need all those facets, unlike a round, to hide all of its flaws, so what you see is more of the true rock, less distraction.

 

[Area57]

[quote="AdaBeta27|
I think of princess stones as something that younger women choose. There's nothing wrong with that, but they just kind of look a bit startling on middle-aged women, to me. And I've never seen an elderly woman wearing one.

At what age do you consider as "elderly"?... [/quote]


In women? .....maybe thirty-five?