A Guide to Rose Cut Diamonds
The magnificent rose cut, which produces a beautiful glow when the light hits it rather than an intense sparkle, is certainly here to stay. Here is everything you need to know about buying a rose-cut diamond.
In recent years, the growing demand for diamonds has sparked a push for more standardization in the diamond cutting process. Though the initiative yields a greater availability of consumer-ready diamonds, it also reduces the scope for creative differentiation. But lately, as discerning customers look for ‘different’, historic diamond cuts like the Old European and—our current obsession—the rose cut, are making a comeback.
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Unique, delicate and radiant, the rose cut is the oldest and one of the most precious diamond cuts. Lesser-known than the brilliant cut but equally as beautiful, this antique cut is enjoying a serious revival. 64Facets, a leading fine jewelry company specializing in antique cut diamonds is partnering with us to take you on a journey on the spectacular rose cut diamond.
What Is a Rose Cut Diamond?
The rose cut, unlike the standard brilliant cut diamond, does not have a pavilion and, therefore has a distinctively flatter shape. The crown of the diamond is a faceted dome with three to 24 facets (as compared to the brilliant cut’s 57 or 58 facets) often in two rows, with center star facets that make up the top of the diamond and a proportional number of facets on the second row. Since there are fewer facets, rose cut diamonds glow radiantly from within, emitting a captivating yet subtle sparkle rather than the intense shine of a brilliant cut.
The clarity of a diamond is incredibly important in a rose cut. Its flatter, less faceted nature means that any blemishes and inclusions a diamond may have will be more visible; the cut reveals the soul of the stone, emphasizing its unique characteristics and raw beauty. Because there is less brilliance and reflection to distract from such flaws, high quality rose cuts simply require high quality diamonds.
Why is a Rose Cut so Special?
Compared to a brilliant cut that holds its carat weight internally, rose cutshave more “spread”, meaning the carat weight is on the top/face of the diamond, helping it to appear larger. They also sit closer to the skin than other diamond cuts, offering a unique sense of intimacy.
Because of its shape and fewer amount of facets, light streams through rose cut stones in a way that emits a soft glow rather than intense sparkle. So it makes sense that rose cut diamond jewelry is often light, delicate and versatile.
The History of Rose Cuts
The precursor to the now standard brilliant cut, the rose cut has a rich history embodying a more romantic sentiment than other more common cuts. Believed to have been developed in India in the 15th century, by the 1520s, European gemstone cutters were using the cut as the standard for diamond jewelry. As a result, much of the high quality diamond antique pieces available today—particularly from the Pre-Edwardian era when the cut reached its peak popularity—feature rose cut stones.
How Are They Cut?
Contrary to brilliant cut diamonds with their standardized shape, facet arrangement differs on each rose cut diamond. In turn, it requires an intricate cutting process that prioritizes the unique and natural beauty of the original rough diamond. Just one rose cut can take several days to complete.
The first step is to assess not only the quality of the rough diamond but also decide on its most optimal shape and facet arrangement. The diamond is then marked with a thin marker then put into a machine that creates a 3D scan of it before laser-cutting it into its initial shape (i.e. round, cushion, oval, etc).
Highly skilled diamantaires then examine the diamond and select the best way to facet it to maximize for beauty, weight, clarity and color. The faceting process requires a large machine with a metal and stone turntable that is layered with diamond dust (the only material strong enough to cut a diamond). The diamond is then placed into a claw-like tool that holds it in place as it is moved by hand onto the turning disk.
The cut is versatile and easily customizable for your preference or your loved one.
How Much does a Rose Cut Diamond Cost?
The price of diamonds is affected by many external aspects, including the cost of raw materials and the production of the pieces.
That said, the good news is that a rose cut diamond keeps their carat weight at the surface, often appearing larger than they actually are. So you can likely get away with a smaller size than you could with other cuts.
Also, cecause each rose cut diamond is hand-cut based on the original shape of the rough gemstone, diamantaires can optimize for minimal wastage (meaning there are less pieces of the diamond that get sliced off and “lost”), which ultimately saves the consumer money.
In comparison, since brilliant cut diamonds are cut in a standardized manner, there is little room for optimizing their shape based on the original rough diamond, and therefore often results in more waste; here, there are more costs to achieve the final result.
Famous Rose Cuts
Rose cut diamonds have been making a comeback in the last ten years, with celebrities like Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Aniston choosing this unique cut for their engagement rings.
Our favorite royals—Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana, Kate Middleton and Princess Beatrice to name a few—also love to pull out their beautiful antique rose cut diamond pieces for special occasions; the royal diamond collection is made up of many rare and beautiful rose cut pieces.
Why does 64Facets Loves Them?
With rose cuts as their signature, 64Facets is obviously enamored with these precious gemstones. Not only because of their rich connection to eras gone by but also because of what they embody for the artistry of cutting diamonds.
This unique cut emphasizes raw beauty and embodies the multifaceted woman, encouraging her to reveal her own unique facets.
64Facets’ expert diamantaires in Surat, India are some of the few in the world who have perfected this unique style, and the brand is a leading jewelry producer of this understated cut.
As the cut has been increasing in popularity, 64Facets has been at the forefront of this growing trend, also venturing into cutting black diamonds and precious gemstones like blue sapphire, rubies, emeralds, et al.