In the world of antique jewelry, Cut is not just a technique to make gems shinier, it is the fingerprint of time.
Modern gems pursue “perfect fire” and standardized cutting (such as Round Brilliant Cut). But when you see an antique gem, their irregularity and “asymmetry” are the proof of their age and value. Mastering the cut, you have mastered the first key to dating.
Today, let’s dismantle the three most classic cut types in antique jewelry.
1. Rose Cut: Tenderness under Candlelight (17th Century - Early Victorian)
This is one of the oldest and most romantic cuts.
- Appearance Features: Flat bottom (no Pavilion), the top is a dome or polygon, composed of small triangular facets like a rosebud.
- Light Principle: Since the bottom is flat, Rose Cut does not have the intense “Fire” of modern diamonds. But it emits a soft, large “Flash” under candlelight or dim light.
- Dating Key:
- 17th Century to Georgian Era: Very popular. Many old silver jewelry and Foil Backed jewelry used this cut.
- Identification Point: Look at the bottom of the gem. If it is flat, it can basically be determined as an old Rose Cut.
2. Old Mine Cut: Rugged Romance (18th Century - Mid 19th Century)
This is the earliest prototype of “Brilliant Cut” in history.
- Appearance Features:
- Square or Cushion shape.
- The Pavilion (bottom) is very large and deep, like an inverted funnel.
- The Table (top flat surface) is very small.
- The Culet (bottom tip) is very large, looking like a small square or dot from the top.
- Light Principle: Its twinkling is slow and large, like the rhythm of a candle flame, rather than the fast flashing “sparkle” of modern diamonds.
- Dating Key: If you see a “clumsy” diamond that looks cushion-shaped, with a small table and a large culet, it is usually a product of the mid-19th century Victorian era.
3. Old European Cut: Modernity before Dawn (Late 19th Century - 1930s)
This is the perfect form of transition from Old Mine Cut to modern Brilliant Cut.
- Appearance Features:
- Round. Closer to modern round than Old Mine Cut.
- The Pavilion is still deep, but shallower than Old Mine Cut.
- The Table is enlarged, and the Culet is still visible (but smaller than Old Mine Cut).
- Light Principle: Possesses superior fire and brightness than Old Mine Cut, but still retains the deep twinkling of old cuts.
- Dating Key: Old European Cut was popular from the Edwardian era to the Art Deco era. If you see an Art Deco platinum geometric ring, the small diamonds inside are most likely Old European Cut.
Collection Summary: Stories in the Cut
When you hold a magnifying glass, remember: the “rougher” and “more irregular” the cut, the further it may be from the era we live in.
- Georgian Era: Rose Cut.
- Victorian Era: Old Mine Cut.
- Edwardian/Art Deco: Old European Cut.
This historical evolution of cutting is exactly the most fascinating part of antique jewelry.
