Traditional diamond solitaires make beautiful engagement rings, but for the woman who desires a little something different a princess cut engagement ring may fit the bill.
What Are Princess Cuts?
The princess cut is actually relatively new to the jewelry world, and new to engagement rings in particular. Princess cuts are identified by their square shape, and are actually a combination of a brilliant cut and a step cut.
How Much Do They Cost?
For a woman who desires an affordable, unique alternative to traditional diamond cuts, a princess cut engagement ring is actually one of the cheapest cuts to make. Because of the nature of the cut, it requires less time to polish and shape the stone, which will therefore lower the price of the finished gem.
What’s more, you don’t necessarily need a top quality stone. Because a princess cut combines two separate cuts into one, they are able to conceal more imperfections or flaws that other cuts simply couldn’t do. This means that a lower quality stone can be used, unlike with other cuts such as round diamonds.
Of course, the overall price for a princess cut engagement ring will vary on a number of other factors in addition to these, such as the metal used; any accent stones and the intricacy of the design.
What Settings Work For Princess Cut Stones?
There are actually specific settings that work well for princess cut engagement rings. The sharp edges of the stone are quite fragile, and can break or chip if not adequately protected. For this reason, prong settings are typically used, and the prongs are set at the corners of the stone for extra protection.
Channel settings are also popular for princess cut stones. With a channel setting, the stones are actually set into the band itself rather than using prongs to suspend the stone above the band. This type of setting works well for women who lead active lifestyles because there is minimal risk of accidental damage like there would be with a prong setting.
Other Design Considerations
Princess cut engagement rings are actually quite versatile, and couples can choose to customize the ring with a variety of accent stones, design choices or metal types. A simple princess cut solitaire ring looks beautiful and classic, but still offers a modern twist on a traditional solitaire ring.
Three-stone designs are also quite popular, as are pear shaped or round diamonds used as accent stones. The sky is nearly the limit when choosing a princess cut engagement ring that fits both your taste and your budget.
Choosing a princess cut engagement ring is a wonderful choice for the bride-to-be who desires a distinctive look that retains the appearance of classic elegance, but adds a modern twist on a traditional engagement ring.
Whether you choose a solitaire ring or accent stones, a simple setting or a more elaborate one or any other number of customizations, your princess cut engagement ring will be as precious as the love the two of you share.
12:23 PM UTC February 05, 2012