Diamonds that were mined and cut between the years 1300 and 1930 are known as antique cut diamonds. Depending on the era and the jeweler who cut the stone, there are numerous types of antique diamond cuts available on the market.
The majority of antique cut diamond rings have a very soulful and romantic appeal. Even though they have inferior sparkle and brilliance compared to modern cut diamonds, their magnificent appearance, and distinguishable characteristics make them priceless. Many individuals use them in their engagement rings as they are very unique.
In this article, we are comparing the features of two prominent antique cuts: The old mine cut and the old European cut. Read below to find out more.
European Cut Vs Old Mine Cut
The European cut diamonds are very often compared to the old mine cut diamonds. This is mainly because both of them are famous antique cut diamonds and they share some similarities. Even though they have similarities, there are several features that distinguish the two cuts. Let us look at their comparison in detail.
Age
Both the old European cut and old mine cut can be classified under the group of antique cuts. The old mine cut is more than a century older than the European cut but, both cuts are made by hand and inspected by the naked eye. The old mine cut dates to the middle of the 17th century, but the old European cut did not become widely used until the 19th century.
Shape
The shape of an old European cut diamond is close to a circle when observed from the top. It is almost similar to the shape of round-cut diamonds. The old mine cut diamonds have a square or rectangle shape with all four corners rounded.
Table Size
Like most antique cut diamonds, both the old European cut diamonds and old mine cut diamonds have a small-sized table. To be precise, the table size of old mine cuts varies from 38 to 45% of the diamond’s diameter, whereas the table size of the old European cut diamond ranges from 38 to 53% of the diamond’s diameter. This data clearly indicates that the table size of an old European cut is larger than the old mine cut.
Culet Size
The culets of both the old European cut and the old mine cut are big. When compared, you can see that the culet of the old European cut is often smaller than the other.