Old Mine Cut Diamond
By Jared James ยท Last updated 21 May 2026
Quick answer
An old mine cut diamond is an antique cushion-shaped cut, hand-cut from roughly the early 1700s through to the late 1800s, long before electric light and modern faceting. It has a soft, squarish outline, a tall crown, a small table and a large open culet that shows as a little circle in the centre, and it was cut to glow under candlelight rather than to throw out the bright sparkle of a modern brilliant. No two are quite alike, so each stone is judged on its own.
Shape at a glance
| Detail | Typical detail | Buying note |
|---|---|---|
| Facet pattern | Antique brilliant faceting, all cut by hand. | Every old mine cut is a little different, so each stone has to be judged on its own. |
| Outline | A soft, slightly squarish cushion shape. | Old mine cuts predate standard ratios, so expect gentle, uneven curves rather than a precise outline. |
| Sparkle | A soft, warm glow with broad flashes, made for candlelight. | An old mine cut will not sparkle like a modern brilliant, and that gentle look is the appeal. |
| Best for | Antique and vintage rings, and bezel or low-set heirloom styles. | Choose an old mine cut when you want genuine antique character and history. |
What is an Old Mine Cut Diamond?
An old mine cut diamond is an antique cut, the kind of stone set in jewellery from roughly the early eighteenth century through to the late nineteenth. It has a soft, squarish cushion outline with rounded corners, a tall crown, a small flat table on top and a large culet, the facet at the very bottom, which was left open and reads as a small circle when you look down into the stone.
Every old mine cut was shaped and polished by hand, often by eye and by candlelight, well before electric light or the precise cutting tools used today. That is why no two are quite the same, and why they have a soft, glowing look rather than the sharp, bright sparkle of a modern brilliant. The name came later, from the diamond trade, to describe stones from the old mines of India and Brazil that were worked before the South African finds of the late 1800s.
Where the old mine cut comes from
The old mine cut belongs to the long stretch of diamond history before cutting became a precise, standardised craft. From the early 1700s onwards, cutters worked rough diamonds by hand, following the natural shape of the crystal to save as much weight as they could, which is why old mine cuts kept a soft, squarish outline and a deep, chunky build. They were cut for the light of the time, candlelight and lamplight, where a tall crown and broad facets gave a warm, flickering glow.
By the late nineteenth century the old mine cut had evolved into the old European cut, a rounder shape made possible by better tools, and in 1919 the modern round brilliant set out the proportions still used today. Genuine old mine cuts now come mostly from antique jewellery, which is a large part of their appeal, and the style had a fresh moment of attention through vintage-inspired engagement rings, including the old mine brilliant cut Taylor Swift wore in her widely shared 2025 engagement ring.
What to check before choosing
Every old mine cut is unique
Old mine cuts were never cut to a standard, so each one is its own stone, with its own outline, depth and facet pattern. Buy the individual diamond in front of you rather than a grade on paper, and look at it in person or on video to see how it actually behaves in the light.
Expect a soft glow, not bright sparkle
An old mine cut will not flash like a modern brilliant, and it is not meant to. It gives a warmer, gentler return of light, with broad flashes and a visible culet through the centre. If you love that antique character it is exactly right, and if you want maximum sparkle a modern cut will suit you better.
Old mine cut or a modern recut?
Some antique stones have been recut into modern shapes over the years, and some modern diamonds are cut today in an old mine style. Ask whether a stone is a genuine antique or a modern interpretation, because it affects both the character and the price, and a grading report or an independent valuation can help confirm it.
Settings that suit this shape
- A bezel or a low, simple setting protects an antique stone and suits its understated character.
- Yellow and rose gold tend to flatter old mine cuts, since many carry a little warmth and were made for warm light.
- Antique-style details like milgrain, engraving and a hand-made gallery sit naturally with the cut and its era.
Who does old mine suit?
Old mine cut suits anyone who wants a diamond with real history and a soft, candlelit glow rather than bright modern sparkle. It is a lovely choice for vintage and antique-style engagement rings, and for anyone who likes the idea of a stone that is genuinely one of a kind.
Watch for
- Old mine cuts give a soft glow, so they can look less bright than a modern cut, especially in harsh light.
- Quality varies enormously from stone to stone, because each one was cut by hand to a different standard.
- Genuine antiques can carry small chips or wear from a long life, so check the condition closely.
Watch: thinking of buying an old mine cut?
A quick look at what to weigh up before you choose an old mine cut diamond.
Other diamond shapes
- #01
Round
If you want the most sparkle and the easiest stones to compare, the round brilliant is the shape to reach for. It is also the only common diamond shape that comes with a proper cut grade, so settle on cut quality first and then choose colour and clarity grades that still look clean and bright once the stone is set.
- #02
Oval
An oval diamond gives you a larger, more lengthening look than a round diamond of a similar weight, and it keeps the bright sparkle pattern of a brilliant cut. There is no single cut grade that tells you whether an oval is a good one, so the things to look at are the bow tie, the length-to-width ratio, the shape of the shoulders and how evenly the two ends mirror each other.
- #03
Emerald Cut
An emerald cut diamond is a step cut, which means it has long, open facets and neatly clipped corners, and it gives you a rectangular outline with broad flashes of light rather than the fast glitter of a brilliant cut. Clarity, colour and ratio all show up more clearly here than in other shapes, so most buyers start at VS1 or VS2 clarity, G colour or better, and a length-to-width ratio somewhere between 1.40 and 1.55 for a balanced, classic look.
- #04
Cushion Cut
A cushion cut diamond has a square or rectangular outline with soft, rounded corners, and depending on the facet pattern it can look antique, modern, chunky or crushed ice. Many buyers find themselves choosing between a true square cushion at a ratio close to 1.00 and an elongated cushion somewhere around 1.15 to 1.30, so it helps to decide the sparkle style and the outline you want first, then compare colour, depth and setting from there.
- #05
Marquise
A marquise diamond is a long brilliant-cut shape with two gently pointed tips, and it gives you one of the largest face-up looks you can get for the carat weight, so it always makes a statement. The trade-off is that it needs excellent symmetry, a bow tie you can live with and tips that are properly protected, so choose it when you want length, drama and presence.
- #06
Pear
A pear shaped diamond, sometimes called a teardrop diamond, has one rounded end and one gently pointed tip. The things worth checking are the length-to-width ratio, which most buyers like somewhere between 1.50 and 1.70, the point alignment, the bow tie effect through the centre, and the prongs that keep the tip protected. Choose pear if you want an elongated shape with a little more softness than a marquise.
- #07
Princess Cut
A princess cut diamond is a square brilliant cut with sharp, uncut corners and plenty of sparkle. It is often called a square diamond, and it is a popular modern alternative to a round brilliant that usually costs a little less per carat. The one practical catch is that the sharp corners need protecting from chips, so look for V-prongs or a bezel, and keep an eye on face-up size, symmetry and colour near the edges.
- #08
Radiant Cut
A radiant cut diamond pairs a square or rectangular outline with cropped corners and brilliant-style facets. It gives more sparkle than an emerald cut and has softer corners than a princess cut, so it suits anyone who wants geometry without giving up brightness. The first thing to decide is whether you want a square radiant at a ratio close to 1.00 or an elongated one at 1.15 to 1.35, and from there you can check the centre brightness and the facet pattern.
- #09
Asscher
An asscher cut diamond is a square step cut with cropped corners and long, parallel facets that draw the eye down into the stone, giving the deep, concentric hall of mirrors look the shape is known for. It is essentially a square version of the emerald cut, so the same things matter most: clarity sits on show through the open facets, body colour can be visible, and you want a ratio close to square at around 1.00 to 1.05.
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View old mine ringsFrequently asked questions
- What is an old mine cut diamond?
- An old mine cut diamond is an antique cushion-shaped cut, hand-cut from roughly the early 1700s to the late 1800s. It has a soft squarish outline, a tall crown, a small table and a large open culet, and it was cut to glow under candlelight rather than to sparkle like a modern brilliant.
- What is the difference between an old mine cut and an old European cut?
- They are two stages of the same antique tradition. The old mine cut came first and has a soft, squarish cushion outline. As cutting tools improved in the late 1800s it evolved into the old European cut, which is rounder and a step closer to the modern round brilliant.
- What is the difference between an old mine cut and a cushion cut?
- A modern cushion cut shares the soft squarish outline, but it is cut today with modern tools and faceting for bright, even sparkle. An old mine cut is the antique original, cut by hand with a tall crown and a large open culet, so it has a softer, warmer and less uniform look.
- Are old mine cut diamonds valuable?
- They can be. Value depends on the individual stone, its size, colour, clarity and condition, and on whether it is a genuine antique. Many buyers also value the history and the fact that each one is unique, which a standard grading report does not capture.
- Why is it called an old mine cut?
- The name comes from the diamond trade. It refers to stones cut from the older diamond sources, the mines of India and Brazil, that were worked before the large South African discoveries of the late 1800s. The term came into use later to set these antique stones apart from newer ones.
- Are old mine cut diamonds good for engagement rings?
- Yes, if you love antique character. Old mine cuts are durable enough for daily wear, though a genuine antique should be checked for chips and wear and set protectively. They are a beautiful choice for vintage-inspired engagement rings where history is part of the appeal.
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