What is a jubilee cut diamond?
By Jared James · Last updated 21 May 2026
Definition
The Jubilee Cut is a square brilliant-cut diamond that combines round brilliant-style faceting with a square or slightly cushion-like outline, and it emerged in the United States around the start of the 20th century. Despite associations in some accounts with Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee of 1897, the cut itself did not gain traction until the early 1900s. It represents an early attempt to bring the optical performance of the round brilliant to a square shape, a goal that later led to the development of the modern princess cut and radiant cut.
Frequently asked questions
- How does the Jubilee Cut differ from a round brilliant?
- The Jubilee Cut has a square or cushion outline where a round brilliant is circular, but it uses a similar arrangement of facets on the crown and pavilion to maximise brilliance and light return. The square shape means the facet pattern cannot be exactly the same as a round, but the design intent is comparable.
- Is the Jubilee Cut still made today?
- It is extremely rare in modern production. The Jubilee Cut is primarily found in antique and estate pieces, particularly from the Edwardian and early Art Deco periods. Collectors of antique diamonds occasionally seek it out as a historical style, but it was never as widely adopted as the round brilliant or the later cushion and princess cuts.
- What came after the Jubilee Cut?
- Later developments in square brilliant cutting led to the radiant cut in the late 20th century and the princess cut, both of which achieved the goal of a faceted square diamond with strong brilliance far more successfully and became commercially dominant styles.
Designing a ring
Talk through jubilee cut with us
Tell us what you have in mind, even if it is only a budget and a piece of jewellery type, and we will help you weigh up the options. We reply to every enquiry, usually within one business day.
Contact the studio