In your travels searching for the perfect engagement ring, you've probably come across a rose cut diamond. These are very unique looking stones that are famous for their romantic feel and for making the most of a tight budget. So what makes these little stones so special? We'll tell you!

Featuring our Maeve and Kate Rings.

What are they?

Rose cut stones are an antique cut that has regained popularity in the last five years or so. They were first added into stone cutters' repertoires in the early 1500s!

Rose cut stones are very different from a classic round brilliant cut stone, but let's start with their similarities. Both feature a beautifully faceted top, and both are perfectly round, and therefore suited to both classic and modern settings. Both are also, in the case of diamonds, at least, both are measured by their cut, clarity, colour and carat weight. But this is where the similarities end.

Where round cut stones come to a point at the bottom, as in our Kate Ring, rose cut stones are flat at the bottom, which can be seen in our Maeve Ring. With the flat bottom of the stone, the top of the stone is rounded, often featuring triangular facets which connect at a single apex in the centre of the stone (whereas round cut diamonds feature a flat table on top). 

This is where rose cut stones get their name: they are said to look like a rosebud as its petals unfurl. See? Romantic!

This means has a few implications in look, feel, price, and size!

Look and feel

The biggest functional difference between a rose cut and a round cut is the look and feel of the stone, and this is often the make-or-break factor for couples. The difference is quite stark.

Round diamonds are defined by their shimmery, sparkly, disco-ball like appearance. They will catch and reflect light and cast little rainbows around the room—they are the classic.

Rose cut diamonds don't do this. The flat bottom of the stone and the nature of the faceting creates a beautiful glassy, frosty look that is unlike any other diamond. Take our Amelia Ring for example. The dark green sapphire takes on a pastel, nearly transparent colour tone. We love this look and find it very well suited to beautiful white sapphire or coloured stones, but you should be sure this is the right look and feel for you before buying. 

Featuring our Maeve and Amelia Rings.

Carat considerations

A great selling point for rose cut diamonds is regards how their weight is distributed. 

In round cut diamonds, the stone's carat weight also takes into account the bottom of the stone, which, in many settings, is not actually visible as it sits below the girdle of the ring.

In a rose cut diamond, the stone is spread "flat," so to speak. Because none of the stone will sit below the girdle, all of that extra carat weight will create a larger surface area on the visible portion of the ring.

All of this means that a one carat round cut diamond will actually look smaller than a one carat rose cut diamond. 

Price considerations

Because of these carat considerations, rose cut diamonds are a great way to stretch your budget.

Further, because rose cut stones will have fewer facets compared to a stone like a round cut, they're often less expensive as less faceting and labour time needs to be invested in readying the stone for market. Less expensive, and appears larger—this is a winning combination for many couples.

Alternative stones

Rose cut is complementary to so many alternative stones, too! If your partner is open to alternative stones, there is an opportunity to safe even more money: using a stone like moissanite has the look and feel of a diamond but presents an opportunity to pay less than half of what you would for the "real" thing. 

Further, rose cut lends itself to coloured and hazy stones beautifully. You've probably seen salt and pepper diamonds, just like our Maeve, linked above, which creates a beautiful, moody stone perfectly unique to you and your partner. 

What do you think? Would you purchase a rose cut engagement ring?

xo Evorden