What is an old European cut diamond?
By Jared James · Last updated 21 May 2026
Definition
The old European cut is the primary antique round diamond cut used from approximately 1890 to the 1930s, before modern cutting machines standardised the proportions of the round brilliant. It has a circular girdle, a small table facet, a high crown, a large visible culet at the base, and fewer, heavier facets than a modern brilliant. Hand-cut by craftsmen using candlelight and lamplight rather than electric light, old European cuts have a softer, more romantic sparkle and strong contrast patterns that many collectors and antique jewellery lovers prefer to the crisp fire of a modern stone.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I tell an old European cut from a modern round brilliant?
- Look at the stone from above: an old European cut shows a visible circular dot in the centre, which is the large culet when viewed face-up, and heavier, chunkier facets. A modern brilliant has a pointed culet and precise, symmetrical facets cut to exact mathematical proportions. Old European cuts also tend to show more contrast and less even light return.
- Are old European cut diamonds more expensive?
- Fine old European cut diamonds with good colour and clarity carry a premium among collectors of antique jewellery because they cannot be replicated. For the same technical specifications, they may be priced similarly to or above a modern brilliant.
- Is an old European cut the same as an old mine cut?
- They are related but distinct. Both are antique cuts, but the old mine cut is earlier and has a more cushion-like, squarish outline. The old European cut came later and is a rounder, more circular shape that was the immediate predecessor of the modern round brilliant.
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