• Diamonds
  • Gemstones
  • Jewellery
  • Famous Jewels
  • Latest
Diamond Buzz Logo
Old European Cut Diamond Guide
Diamonds

Old European Cut Diamond Guide

Last updated on December 26, 2022

Old European cut diamonds combine the classic look of antique diamonds with several key characteristics. Popular during the Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco periods, this cut creates a bridge between classic cuts such as the old mine and modern diamond shapes.

History of Old European Cut Diamonds

The history of the old European cut diamonds traces back to the late 19th century when diamonds were cut by hand, and cutters of the time used only their eyes to measure the precision of their work.

The old European cut (OEC), also known as European cut, round old mine and old Euro, was developed between 1890 and 1930 in Europe. The rounded diamonds cut before 1890 are called old mine cuts (OMC), while round diamonds cut after 1935 are called either transitional or round brilliant cuts. The old European cut is the direct predecessor to the modern round brilliant cut, while the old mine cut is the ancestor to the cushion cut.

OEC was the standard round diamond cut of the time used in almost all ring designs made until the early twentieth century. Moreover, most antique jewellery from the Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco periods featured old European cut, old mine cut, rose cut and single cut diamonds. Today European cut diamonds are very popular among vintage jewellery collectors due to their unique charm, interest and warmth.

Old European Cut Characteristics

Oec Diamond Characteristics | Diamond Buzz
OEC diamond image: Van Rossen / Shutterstock. A derivative work by Diamond Buzz.

Like any other cut, old European cut diamonds feature several distinctive visual characteristics that set them apart from antique and modern diamond cuts.

  • A very small table: OEC diamonds have a very small table (top surface). According to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), an old European cut diamond should have a table less than or equal to 53% of its total diameter.
  • A very large culet: OEC diamonds have a very large open culet which can easily be viewed from the table of the diamond with the naked eye.
  • A rough girdle: European cut diamonds have a rough girdle, also known as an unpolished, frosted or bruted girdle that is a narrow portion of a diamond separating the top (crown) and bottom (pavilion) parts of the stone.
  • A high crown and a deep pavilion: Old European cut diamonds are “taller” than most modern diamonds. They feature a crown angle of at least 40 degrees and long lower girdle facets that make at least 60% of the diamond’s depth.
  • 58 facets: OEC diamonds feature 58 facets – the same number the modern round brilliant cut does; however, these facets are larger and chunkier.
  • Imperfect symmetry: As a general rule, old European cut diamonds are not very symmetrical, meaning their facets are not shaped and aligned with the same precision as those of modern cut diamonds. The reason for this is that the cutting technique used to shape OEC diamonds was not as developed as it is today.

Old European Cut vs Round Brilliant Cut

Old European Cut Vs Round Brilliant Cut | Diamond Buzz
OEC diamond image: Van Rossen / Shutterstock. A derivative work by Diamond Buzz.

The old European cut and the modern round brilliant cut have some common features that make them look very similar; however, these two cuts also have noticeable differences that help to distinguish between them.

Table Size

OEC diamonds have a smaller table compared with round brilliants. The table of an old European cut diamond tends to be 53% of the stone’s diameter or less, while an excellent table size of a round brilliant diamond should fall within the 53 – 58% range.

Facet Shape

Although both old European and round brilliant cut diamonds feature 58 facets, their facets have different shapes. OEC features larger and chunkier facets, while the round brilliant cut has thinner facets.

Crown Height and Pavilion Depth

OEC diamonds have a higher crown compared with round brilliants of the same carat weight. They also tend to have deeper pavilions than similar size round brilliant cut diamonds. The reason for this is that old European cut diamonds were cut to retain more weight, rather than optimise appearance.

Culet Size

Old European cut diamonds always feature a large open culet that is visible from the table. The culet size of a round brilliant cut diamond can vary, although it is recommended to go with Very Small or Small grades as these fall within the “Excellent” range.

Girdle Type

Similar to other antique cut diamonds, OEC diamonds usually have a rough girdle, while the majority of modern round brilliant cut diamonds have a faceted girdle.

Precision and Symmetry

Although both old European and round brilliant cut diamonds have a round shape, OEC diamonds are not that symmetrical because they were hand-cut before the invention of modern laser cutting tools.

Fire, Brilliance and Scintillation

The way round brilliant and OEC diamonds react to light is a bit different. The old European cut was primarily designed to showcase a diamond’s colour, while the round brilliant cut is designed to maximize a stone’s brilliance, meaning it exhibits more fire, brilliance and scintillation. However, diamond collectors around the world always mention the “inner fire” of OEC diamonds. They typically show larger face-up patterns of light and dark, while modern brilliant diamonds display a tighter mosaic of light and dark patches.

Featured image: DiamondGalaxy / Shutterstock
FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedIn

Post navigation

Four-Prong Rings vs Six-Prong Rings
How to Tell if Gold Is Real
  • The Surprising History Of Diamond Engagement Rings | Diamond BuzzThe Surprising History of Diamond Engagement Rings
    Jewellery

Advertise on Diamond Buzz

We help our clients with the best and most effective advertising solutions by creating engagement for jewellery brands across the Diamond Buzz audience.

Newsletter

By entering your email address, you consent to receive our latest news and exclusive offers. You may withdraw your consent at any time. Please read our Privacy Policy for more details.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

  • Contact
  • About
  • Advertising
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Cookie Settings
  • Instagram
Copyright © 2018 - 2023 Diamond Buzz. All Rights Reserved.
Cressida Pro by LyraThemes.com

We use cookies on our website to personalise your user experience and analyse our website traffic. By clicking "Accept All", you consent to the use of all the cookies.

Privacy Policy    Settings    Accept All

Cookie Settings

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are essential for the website to function properly. This category includes cookies that ensure the basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyse the key performance indexes of the website, which help in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
CookieDurationDescription
_ga2 yearsThe _ga cookie, installed by Google Analytics, calculates visitor, session and campaign data and also keeps track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors.
_ga_SGEW9HERE92 yearsThis cookie is installed by Google Analytics.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analysed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT
Powered by CookieYes Logo