After the classic, round brilliant-cut diamond, princess diamonds with their very characteristic, angular cut are becoming increasingly popular. Especially for modern engagement rings, this shape is often chosen. But are these diamonds also a good choice as an investment?
The princess cut, which is also known in German as Prinzessinnenschliff, is one of the very young diamond cuts. It goes back to the London diamond cutter Arpad Nagy, who originally called his cut the "Profile Cut", but it was repeatedly referred to as the "Princess Cut", so that this name has become established. Another theory sees the origins in Basil Watermeyer's "Barion Cut". It is not possible to precisely determine who is the forefather of the Princess Cut. However, it is proven that the cut in its current form was created by Betazel Ambar and Israel Itzkowitz in 1980. There are therefore no antique pieces of jewellery with this cut, as it is only a good 40 years old.
A princess diamond is cut with 58 facets and shows a great similarity to the round brilliant cut in the arrangement of the small surfaces. This is why this cut is also called "square modified brilliant" in professional circles. This is also part of the reason for the great success of this cut. It makes a diamond sparkle almost as perfectly as the round cut. Viewed from above, the princess cut is square; placed on the table, the diamond looks like a pyramid.
A very decisive advantage lies in the enormous yield of the cut. If a rough diamond is cut into a round brilliant, at least half of the material is lost. A rough diamond of 2 carats therefore results in a brilliant-cut diamond of 1 carat or less. With the princess cut the loss is much less, up to 80% of the rough diamond can be used. This makes the princess cut one of the most effective cuts of all. The rough diamond is used optimally here.
Princess cut diamonds are slightly less expensive than round brilliant cut diamonds. Of course, provided that the decisive value-determining characteristics in the form of the 4C are comparable.
The reason is the aforementioned better yield, because to cut a princess diamond of a certain size, a smaller rough diamond is needed than to cut a brilliant of the same carat weight. Regardless of the cost of cutting, the smaller rough diamond is naturally cheaper to purchase, a price advantage that can be passed on to the end customer.
Investing in princess diamonds can be quite interesting. Demand has risen constantly in the decades since its invention, steadily occupying second place behind the round brilliant. The supply is large, you can find suitable diamonds for your portfolio in every size and quality. The latter is far more important for investment diamonds than for diamonds for jewellery, which can still look very attractive even in medium quality grades.
Whatever cut you choose, look for excellent quality. Only diamonds that have a certain rarity also promise an increase in value. The size should not be less than 1 carat, the colour G or better, the clarity at least VS2, the cut quality at least very good. In addition, the diamond should be certified by one of the large gemmological laboratories GIA, HRD or IGI. Such a certificate not only increases the tradability and simplifies the resale, it also gives you the security at the time of purchase that the acquired diamond is worth its money.
Are you interested in buying 100% natural diamonds as a value investment, at a very attractive price? The experts at BNT Diamonds will be happy to advise you. Contact us by email or chat or contact our team directly on +32 3 201 24 90.
