rose cut

Rose cut stones were popular in Europe in the 1500′s and are enjoying renewed popularity today. The most notable feature of this cut is the stone’s flat, or near flat bottom. Picture a low gumdrop with facets cut into the top. The facets start from the center of the stone and spread outward, usually in multiples of 6 appearing like a rose opening up. Although antique rose cut diamonds can be found, the majority of rose cut diamonds available in the market today are newly mined and cut in India.

Personally, I’m enamored with this cutting style because the large shimmery surface and thin profile offer lots of great design possibilities but there are a some limitations too. Here are some things that are good to know…

Shapes- Rose Cuts can be found in round, oval, pear, triangular and irregular shapes.  The majority are flat on the bottom and faceted on top however some are faced on top and bottom  The depth varies from stone to stone.

Optics- Because rose cut stones are usually shallow and not faceted on the underside, they don’t sparkle as much as a traditional brilliant cut stone. White Diamond rose cuts larger than 2mm become transparent in open back prong settings. Light travels right through them and they aren’t the best choice if you desire sparkle.
 
Settings- Most often incorporated in bezel settings and secured around the perimeter with metal.

Size Perception- This is where it gets interesting…… Since stones are traded by their carat weight, rose cuts give the appearance of being much larger than they are because of their large surface area. Rose Cut diamonds offer more bang for the buck, so to speak.