The rose cut cut diamonds are some of the oldest and most unique cuts to be found in jewelry. While their popularity drastically decreased over the last decades, they have recently made a comeback in jewelry trends more than ever.
Vintage is the new modern. As a matter of fact, second-hand and thrift shops have never become so popular. What goes in fashion strangely applies to jewelry. In fact, as some of the oldest diamond cuts, the rose and marquise cuts are also some of the most unique… Probably even more than the Vintage Louis Vuitton travel bag you negotiated from your Grandma. Rich in history and in style, these antique cut diamonds have returned in popularity.
The rose-cut was a revolutionary cut in the diamond world being one of the first diamond to have facets. During the 16th century, tools were created specifically for faceting, allowing jewelers to migrate from the table cut to the rose cut. Though to have been developed in India, the rose cut was also extremely popular in Amsterdam and Antwerp. Their popularity continued to rise in Europe, as the candle became more accessible and affordable. Rose cut diamonds looked best in this candlelight, as the light would beautifully reflect of their facets.
At first, rose cuts only had 3-6 facets, growing to 12, 16, 18 and eventually the 24 facets we see today. Jewelers liked creating rose cuts as it allowed for good use of flat rough. Rose cuts are traditionally flat on the bottom, with a domed faceted top. The Dutch created a double rose cut, with domed faceting on both sides, but this is rare to find. In the beginning, rose cuts would be out of round, following the shape of the rough. In Antique pieces, you will find round, pear shaped and even trillion shaped rose cuts. Today, you will mostly find perfectly round, modern rose cuts.
The rose cut was most popular during the Georgian and Victorian Eras. Many Antique pieces were made with rose cut center stones and even sides tones as pavages. After the Victorian Era, their popularity declined, until the turn of the century. During this time, Tiffany & Co created a solitaire rose cut diamond ring. They designed a more open mounting, in order to allow the light to shine through the stone more easily.
Rose cuts are still extremely rare, with only 1 in 10,000 diamonds being fashioned into this cut. It is making a comeback, especially in custom pieces. Millennials are learning about and appreciating Antique jewelry more and more, allowing for these pieces to increase in popularity.
