Brighton Watches

The old European cut was developed long before today’s technology made it possible to cut diamonds with the “perfect” precision and geometrically perfect diamond cuts that people are familiar with today and see advertised in all of the commercials.

These diamond cuts evolved from the the old mine cut and were developed to be refinements of the cushion cuts. You can recognize them by their very small tables and bulky, heavy crowns. They have deep bodies and typically larger, more open basal or point culets. These diamonds are still generally round or oval. Of course, old European cut diamonds were first developed in–Europe. The Europeans dominated ownership of diamond mines during this time and they had the oldest tradition of gem-cutting science in the world.

European cut diamonds can be hard to find today. Many have already been re-cut to modern standards, and they are only going to be found among antique jewelry anyway. You’ll need to seek out antique or vintage jewelry specialists to get a good selection. They may be easier for you to find online. Look at the websites of Elisha Morgan Gemologists, Fay Cullen, or The Jewelry Expert for some really good choices. Be prepared to pay upwards of $2000 for one of these diamonds.

If you are an informed buyer, you can lend your engagement a touch of class by getting antique engagement rings. This is becoming more popular now, as people are becoming more interested in some of the “old time values” again. People who buy antique engagement rings typically buy those from the Victorian Age or from the first half of the 20th century, which began with the Edwardian Period.

Engagement rings are the modern version of the “betrothal” ring. It was in the 19th century, which included the Romantic and Victorian periods, that individualized engagement rings became the rage, although in the 20th century it became fashionable to have matching engagement rings.

The diamond rose to become the gemstone of most popular choice during the late 1800s. So when you shop for antique engagement rings, you’ll find Victorian and Edwardian rings that feature old mine cut diamonds, where the diamonds have an additional facet on the bottom.

Older cut diamonds aren’t worth as much as today’s cut diamonds, but that just means that an antique diamond ring has a unique charm as well as giving you more stone for your bucks.