| The modern princess cut diamond ring is result of | | | | meaning that four sides were long and the other |
| over five hundred years of refinement of the art | | | | four were short, so the face of the diamond |
| and science of diamond cutting. Princess cut | | | | approximated a rectangular shape. |
| diamonds take advantage of the natural molecular | | | | A Princess cut diamond ring is the result of three |
| structure of diamonds in order to create the | | | | years of intense study on the part of Itzkowitz in |
| maximum amount of sparkle and shine, which is | | | | his attempts to come up with a cut that |
| technically known as "fire." Princess cut diamond | | | | combined the best features of both the round |
| rings have a great deal more of this fire than | | | | and the square cuts. |
| most traditional round cuts. | | | | Current Style |
| Two Pyramids | | | | Princess cut diamonds, also called "modified square |
| If you can visualize two pyramids joined at the | | | | brilliant," are the second most popular choice |
| base - an eight-sided polyhedron, or octagon - | | | | today for diamond engagement rings and other |
| you know what diamonds look life when they first | | | | jewelry. Both traditional white and the wide range |
| come out of the ground. The reason for this has | | | | of colored diamonds account for most of the |
| to do with the shape of the carbon molecules | | | | mounted and loose diamonds sold today. |
| that make up diamond crystals. When jewelers | | | | One of the reasons that Princess cut diamond |
| finally learned how to cut this substance, they | | | | rings are rapidly gaining in popularity is not only |
| simply followed the gem's natural shape. Princess | | | | because of its brilliance compared to other cuts; it |
| cut diamonds represent the pinnacle of the | | | | is in fact the most economical way to cut a |
| diamond cutter's art. | | | | diamond. Of all diamond cuts, the princess cut |
| Three Years of Study | | | | wastes the least of the original stone, so it retains |
| Princess cut diamonds first appeared almost thirty | | | | substantially more of its original weight. Because |
| years ago, and was the innovation of a Los | | | | of this, these pieces are less costly than similar |
| Angeles diamond cutter named Israel Itzkowitz. | | | | rings with round cut gems. All around, a princess |
| Prior to this time, the stones used in diamond | | | | cut diamond ring represent the best jewelry value |
| rings were either "round cut" - with equal cuts | | | | on a per-carat basis. |
| around the face of the stone - or "square cut" - | | | | |