Princess Cut Engagement Rings | Lab Grown Diamond | IGI

The princess cut is a square brilliant: square from above, inverted-pyramid from the side, with brilliant-style faceting that gives it fire close to a round. It became the second most popular engagement shape in the 1980s because it wastes far less of the original crystal than a round does, which is why it costs less per carat. Every Ronora princess cut is a real CVD lab grown diamond, VVS clarity, D-E-F colorless.

Why is a princess cut cheaper than a round?

Yield. Cutting a round from a rough octahedral crystal discards roughly half of it. A princess follows the crystal's natural shape far more closely, so more of the rough survives as finished stone. Grown in a lab the difference is smaller than for mined stones, but it persists.

What should you watch for?

The corners. A princess cut's four sharp corners are its most vulnerable points, and an exposed corner can chip. Any princess should be set with prongs covering all four corners, or bezel set.

Frequently asked questions

Does it look smaller than a round? Slightly, at the same carat, because more weight sits in the depth. The square outline covers less finger than a round's circle.

Is it still fashionable? Less dominant than in the 2000s, which also means it is less common now and reads more distinctive.