The Journal · Topic

Antique Diamonds & Diamond Cuts

Old mine, old European, rose and transitional cuts — how antique diamonds are cut, graded, priced and worn, from a dealer who handles them every week.

Edwardian ring with an old European cut diamond centre surrounded by a halo of emeralds in yellow gold
September 2026

Old European Cut Diamonds: What Actually Drives the Price

Old European cut diamonds do not price like modern rounds. How carat thresholds, spread, warm colour, recutting and the grading report really...

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A hand placing an antique diamond cluster ring into a velvet ring box beside pencil design sketches of the ring.
September 2026

Designing a Ring Around an Inherited Diamond

Resetting an inherited stone is the most emotionally loaded work in jewelry, and the technical decisions get made badly when the conversation...

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Loose old mine and old European cut diamonds on green velvet with brass calipers, a loupe and diamond cut diagrams.
September 2026

How to Read a Diamond Report on an Antique Stone

Grading reports were designed for modern round brilliants, and on an antique stone half the document is misleading. Which fields to trust,...

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A hand wearing an antique old European cut diamond ring on green velvet, with two antique halo rings and a diamond necklace nearby.
September 2026

Why Antique Diamonds Sparkle Differently: Fire, Brilliance and the Light They Were Cut For

Antique and modern diamonds do not just look different — they are solving different optical problems, for different light. Understanding fire, brilliance...

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Loose old mine and old European cut diamonds on green velvet with brass calipers, a loupe and diamond cut diagrams.
September 2026

Old Mine Cut Diamonds: What Actually Drives the Price

Old mine cut diamonds do not price like modern stones, and the grading report that governs a modern diamond actively works against...

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Loose old mine and old European cut diamonds on green velvet with brass calipers, a loupe and diamond cut diagrams.
September 2026

Transitional Cut Diamonds: The Bridge Nobody Talks About

Between the old European cut and the modern brilliant sits a stone with no marketing behind it. Transitional cuts have antique character...

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Antique old-cut diamond engagement rings and pear drop earrings in a velvet tray, with a jeweler's loupe and ring sketches.
August 2026

Antique Cushion vs Modern Cushion: Why They Look Nothing Alike

Two stones can both be called cushion cut and share almost nothing. The antique cushion and the modern cushion differ in crown,...

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Loose old mine and old European cut diamonds on green velvet with brass calipers, a loupe and diamond cut diagrams.
August 2026

Rose Cut Diamonds: The Oldest Cut Still Worn

A rose cut has no pavilion, no culet and no table — just a flat base and a dome of triangular facets....

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A champagne cushion-cut diamond beside a colorless pear-cut diamond on dark green, comparing natural and lab-grown stones.
August 2026

Natural vs. Lab Grown Diamonds: An Honest Comparison (and the Alternatives Worth Considering)

Natural or lab grown? The honest breakdown on cost, value, and resale — plus the antique-world alternatives that give you more stone...

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