Emerging in the 1500s, the rose cut diamond has a flat bottom and a domed, peaked top, which resembles a rose bud.
The rose cut harkens back to a time when diamonds were assessed by eye and cut by hand. Found most often in jewelry from the Georgian and Victorian Periods (1714-1900), the rose cut’s distinctive and unusual outline is spurring a revival amongst modern brides.
The rose cut diamond’s popularity peaked in the 1700’s and was, quite literally, out-shined by the more brilliant cuts that resulted from emerging modern technological advances in diamond cutting. Rose cuts are reminiscent of the age before electricity when diamonds only came out to play by candlelight.
When reflecting light, the rose cut produces a soft luster while modern cuts return a sparkly brilliance so prized by today’s standards. When brilliantly cut diamonds became en vogue, the rose cut diamond fell out of vogue.
However, everything old is new again and the rose cut diamond ring is experiencing a revival. Receiving a Hollywood red carpet spotlight, a rose cut diamond engagement ring flashes on the finger of American actress, Jennifer Aniston, solidifying the rising the popularity of the antique cut.
Because of this, modern diamond cutters are capitalizing on its resurgence and cutting the old style again.
What you’ll learn:
- Description of the rose cut diamond
- Examples of rose cut engagement rings from yesterday and today
- The rose cut diamond vs the round brilliant cut diamond
- Tips for purchasing an antique or a modern rose cut diamond engagement ring
Rose Cut diamond features
As the diagram below shows, the rose cut has a flat base and a domed top containing about 24 facets (flat, polished surfaces). As the rose cut evolved over the years, cutters added more facets to the dome.
This Georgian Period rose cut engagement ring shows the domed shape of the rose cut:
Since all of their weight is in the top, rose cut diamonds have a large diameter or spread to them as compared to other diamond cuts. The likable aspect of this is the fact that rose cuts face up larger than what their carat size actually is.
Compare the rose cut diamond to the most popular cut of today – the round brilliant cut diamond. Basically, the rose cut has only the crown part of the round brilliant. The missing lower half of the rose cut diminishes its ability to reflect light for maximum brilliance.
To increase the brilliance of the rose cut, diamond cutters started cutting rose cuts with a domed bottom as well as a domed top. The shape resembled a pointy orb and was called a ‘double rose cut’ while the original rose cut with the flat bottom was often called a ‘full rose cut’ or a ‘single rose cut’ or simply ‘rose cut’ as we will in the rest of the article.
Whether it’s the double rose cut or the single rose cut, both cuts are not symmetrically round and have a lumpy or ovalish roundness to them.
Rose Cut Shapes
As noted above, rose cut diamonds are a bit out-of-round. While they most often are found as a sort-of round shape, they can appear shaped as an oval or a pear.
This yellow gold ring features a yellow colored, oval shaped rose cut diamond:
This sweet ring is fashioned around the pear shape of the rose cut diamond:
Rose Cut Clarity
Rose cuts are not as sparkly as other modern cuts of diamonds, therefore, they will not mask inclusions as well as more brilliant diamonds. Keep this in mind when shopping for rose cut diamonds.
As with most modern, rose cut engagement rings, the inclusions in the diamond are celebrated as part of its uniqueness.
Rose Cut Color
As with clarity, the subtle luster of the rose cut diamond will not mask a warm body color as will the brilliance of a more modern cut.
However, a hue may be just the twist needed to make your rose cut diamond engagement ring a one-of-a-kind.
Rose Cut Carat Weight
Since the rose cut diamond is not as in demand as other, more popular cuts, the supply will be limited. I suggest keeping a carat weigh range in mind.
Finding a rose cut diamond that weighs exactly 1.00 carat may be difficult, but finding a rose cut diamond in the .90 to 1.25 range will be easier.
Rose Cut Certification
Some retailers may have a selection of modern, rose cut diamonds with diamond certification.
However, finding an antique rose cut diamond from the Georgian Period with a certification will be challenging. Diamonds were certified until the 1900s and GIA will only certify a loose diamond.
Unfortunately, removing a rose cut diamond from its antique setting could compromise the integrity of the ring. In this case, trusting the jeweler to correctly grade the diamond is far more beneficial than removing the diamond.
In the ‘modern’ section below, we have a pear shaped rose cut. Could we plase add a information about the different shapes that rose cuts come in?
Rose Cut Engagement Rings
Rose cut engagement rings date back to the 1700s and are currently experiencing a revival in the 2000s. As technology replaced the art of hand cutting diamonds to exact more brilliance, the trend towards precision cut dimensions in diamonds took hold and the rose cut waned in popularity.
However, today’s brides are embracing a more eclectic look and are targeting the rose cut diamond for an unusual engagement ring choice.,
Georgian Period – 1714-1837
The Georgian Period, named for the 4 King Georges who ruled the United Kingdom, was a time of skilled goldsmiths who hand-fabricated intricate pieces of jewelry while diamond cutters hand polished diamonds into the popular rose cut.
This cluster ring from the Georgian Period was a popular style and shows the unique shapes of the rose cut diamonds:
In addition to the diamonds being hand cut, the ring itself is hand fabricated with each diamond setting created specifically for that particular diamond. The ring is gold while the diamond are set in silver, as was common in this period.
This Georgian ring features a rose cut diamond in a bezel style setting surrounded by a halo of smaller rose cut diamonds, which are also in bezel style settings:
The bezel setting consists of a thin wall of metal encircling the diamond.
In the Georgian Period, bezel set diamonds were often set with closed backs and sometimes with a piece of foil underneath the diamond.
Because light reflected off of the diamond as well as off of the foil, these ‘foil backs’ were a common way to increase the sparkle of the diamonds in the ring.
This ring features a tight cluster of rose cut diamonds in prong style settings:
The prongs are thin claws that hold the diamond in the setting. The gold along the ring is hand fabricated with repousse work.
Repousse involved the hammering of metal into intricate designs. The jewelers of the Georgian Period were highly skilled craftsman and worked metals into ornate pieces of art.
Solitaire Rose Cut Rings
11 carats? 10 carats? Nope.
Although having the circumference of an 11 carat modern round diamond, this majestic sparkler has an estimated weight of 3.75 carats.
The fabulous geodesic diamond is traditionally presented in a foil-backed, bezel setting, crafted in silver over 18K gold, and is more than likely from the mid-twentieth century Netherlands. A smattering of small rose-cut diamonds adorn the shoulders, leading to a fancy ring shank. A truly regal and impressive diamond for a small fraction of the price of its modern day equivalent. Currently ring size 6.
Victorian Period – 1835-1890
The Victorian Era of jewelry design spans the reign of Great Britain’s beloved monarch, Queen Victoria, who ascended the throne as a young girl in love and ended her reign mourning the death of her husband.
The jewelry trends of the age followed suit – light and whimsical to dark and sentimental. Jewelers used gold in abundance and the discovery of diamond mines in South Africa in the 1860s led to an abundance of diamonds used in jewelry.
Like the Georgian Period, the Victorian Period featured rose cut diamonds in bezel and prong style settings:
This sweet Victorian ring features a rose cut diamond in a bezel style setting with cut out stars, a common Victorian accent, along the shank. This ring prominently displays the rounded dome of the rose cut diamond.
A popular early Victorian motif, this serpent ring features rose cut diamonds set in silver, prong style settings.
Because the serpent symbolized eternity, Queen Victoria’s husband presented her with a serpent style engagement ring, creating a new trend in jewelry.
Introduced in the Victorian Era, the bypass style ring is experiencing a resurgence in today’s trends.
The bypass style features the shank of the ring coiling around the finger with the two ends bypassing each other on top of the finger. In the center of the bypass are usually two gemstones symbolizing the meeting of two souls. This ring showcases two, rose cut diamonds in the center of the bypass. The diamonds are prong set with a bezel set rose cut diamond in between them.
Modern Era
With oval and pear shaped diamonds trending as hot engagement ring choices, some brides are searching for a more unusual diamond choice. The rose cut diamond is the answer and having Jennifer Aniston validate that choice doesn’t hurt either. As a result, diamond cutters are fashioning a new crop of rose cut diamonds putting a new spin on the old favorite.
This cute, modern ring highlights the unusual and simplistic allure of the rose cut diamond. The modern, round brilliant cut diamonds are in bezel settings while the pear shaped, rose cut diamond is in a prong setting.
This stylish ring showcases a rose cut diamond in a bezel style setting. The ring plays on the non-traditional aspects of the diamond – the gray body color in addition to the uniqueness of the rose cut.
Rose Cut vs Round Brilliant Cut
If you are trying to decide between the rose cut diamond and the modern round brilliant cut diamond, there a few key points to keep in mind
Color
One noticeable difference between the round brilliant cut and the rose cut is the color of the diamonds.
The rose diamond ring above shows the warmer body color of diamonds which was common in the Georgian and Victorian eras. Because diamonds were often worn by candlelight, a diamond’s body color was not as closely inspected as it is today, so diamonds were often more yellow.
Today’s rose cut diamond rings often play on the darker tones of the diamond to create unusual engagement rings. The ring above features a gray diamond with a webbing of dark inclusions to create a unique twist on an engagement ring.
Clarity
Jewelers weren’t examining their diamonds under microscopes in the 1700s, so diamonds from this age have a tendency to have more inclusions in them.
The rose cut diamonds in the ring above are cut and matched to create an overall look while highlighting the meticulous craftsmanship of the ring. These aspects were more important in this age than the clarity of the diamonds, which is obviously low when considering the large rose cut in the center of the ring.
Brilliance
If you are looking for an unusual diamond with a distinctive shape and outline, the rose cut is worth considering. If you are looking for dazzling brilliance, today’s round brilliant cut is probably your best bet.
The rose cut’s remarkable dome shape is eye-catching while, on the other hand, the facet arrangement of the round brilliant is designed for maximum brilliance.
In addition to actually being warmer in color, rose cut diamonds can also appear warmer than what they are because of their cut – a more brilliant cut will divert the eye from noticing the warmer body color of the diamond. Today’s round brilliant cuts can mask warmer tones due to the blinding brilliance of their cut.
