You know those beautiful traditional diamonds that have an antique look, and now since the diamond industry is progressing, those old diamond designs are recreated but with a new modern look? The round brilliant diamond and old European cut are classic examples of this, where the round brilliant is the modern counterpart of the old European diamond.

In this article, we will distinguish between the traditional European and the modern round brilliant diamond. So, stay tuned and walk through this article till the end to enlighten yourself about the differences between extraordinary old and new diamonds!

What Is the Old European Diamond?

Old European Cut diamond is the product of refined and advanced design diamond techniques. During the 1800s, there was an advancement in the diamond industry, and that brought about a makeshift in the cutting techniques. They became proper, sophisticated, and neat, which led to the creation of some of the diamonds that are insanely popular to date.

The European Cut diamond was manufactured between 1890 and the 1930s, during the period called ‘art deco .’During this period, the European Cut diamond was admired by numerous people. It was the most popular diamond until its competitor, the round brilliant diamond, took its position and was the most sought-after diamond!

What Is Its Shape Like?

The shape of these depends mainly on their weight. High weighted diamonds were preferred as compared to the lighter ones, which is why these had a deep cut with a heavy crown and small table. These have large facets and a small circle on their table.

They give off the same effect that a prism gives, of sparkling rainbows when kept in front of sunlight. What happens when sunlight passes through the gemstone? The light breaks down into its seven components, and those components are emitted from the diamond and are reflected back to the observer’s eyes.

More Information on These Good Old Diamonds!

These diamonds were available in markets during an era when there was no machinery. Diamonds, let alone all other commodities, were made by hand labor. And when hand labor is involved, there was a high chance that not all the European Cut diamonds were identical – each one had some uniqueness to it, and all of them had a similar look. The workers wanted to bring perfection in the cut and clarity of this diamond as much as possible. Some of them had a circular shape with a couple of bulges, whereas the others had asymmetrical faces.

During the eighteen and nineteen hundred, diamond designers weren’t particular about its brilliance and sparkle; rather, the cut and polish concerned them the most. Designers used to rub diamonds against candlelight to cut the gemstones according to their desire. If you properly scrutinize European Cut diamonds, you will notice that they aren’t as sparkly as round brilliant diamonds. However, the old diamonds have more fire to them as compared to their modern counterparts! 

Round Brilliant Diamonds

The round brilliant diamonds have 57 facets, just like their counterpart, the European cut diamonds. All of these facets in the round brilliant contribute to increasing its brilliance, thus capturing the beholder’s gaze! This is a modern cut, ubiquitous diamond that offers stunning brilliance! These stunning gemstones are quite widely known as the modern counterparts of the European cut diamonds.

For a decade, there has been a massive advancement in technology which has led to diamond designers focusing more on the sparkle of the diamond rather than the cut.

The Shape of Round Brilliant Diamonds

Each designer works hard to bring out its shine and sparkle. Since the round brilliant diamonds were a product of good design techniques, they have larger tables and smaller culets and more sparkle!

Each of its facets is leaning, which makes the round brilliant diamond considerable for engagement rings. So, if you are looking for the perfect engagement ring for your fiancée, you can check the round brilliant diamond rings out!

Old Euro vs. Modern Round? A Comparison!

Despite having very different visual appearances, both the old European Cut diamonds and round diamonds have similar features we have analyzed below. The following features listed below are the ones that make the two diamonds differ in appearance.

Feature	European Cut Diamond	Round Brilliant Diamond
1.      Size Of the Table	The Old European Cut Diamonds have smaller tables. Their tables only occupy about 38% to 53% of the diameter of the diamond.	Compared to European diamonds, the round brilliant diamond’s table mostly occupies about 5% to 7% more space than the diameter. Thus, these occupy about 55% to 60% of the diameter, although they even occupy lower than 55% of the space in some rare cases.
2.      Facet’s Shapes Are Different	The European Cut Diamonds have 57 or 58 facets. The facets have a triangular shape, which makes them look distinct from their modern counterparts, the round brilliant diamonds. They have lower and longer facets. The width of its facets is thicker as compared to the round brilliant diamonds.	Just like their old counterparts, round brilliant diamonds also have 57 or 58 facets. However, their facets are leaning. They have thinner facets as compared to the European cut diamonds.
3.      Both have different Symmetries	As mentioned earlier in the article, old European diamonds were made by hand, thus were vulnerable to faults in precision and were asymmetrical. However, despite being imperfect, each European diamond possesses a unique and attractive look.	These stunning diamonds are perfectly symmetrical! This is due to the fact that these are manufactured by advanced machinery such as laser cutters and modern imaging. The round brilliant diamonds attract a large population of people mainly because of their appearance and are everybody’s favorite.
4.      Size Of the Culets Are Different	These have bigger culets on the table.	It is said that the brilliance of a diamond is defined by the size of culets. However, the round brilliant diamonds have smaller culets, and in some cases, they don’t have culets at all. Round diamonds that have no culets have the most brilliant sparkle.
5.      The Finishing on The Girdle Is Different	The girdle of a diamond is the area that is the outer edge and division between the diamond’s pavilion and crown. If you observe closely, you will see that The Old European Cut diamonds have frosted girdles.	On the other hand, the perfectly cut out and proportionate round brilliant diamonds have medium to thick girdles.
6.      Both Differ in Prices!	European Cut Diamonds will cost you less compared to round diamonds. There are more factors that define a diamond’s price, such as 4Cs – cut, clarity, carat weight, and color. However, a European cut diamond will generally have a lower price tag than a round diamond.	All of us agree on the fact that top quality products are on the pricier side, right? Since round diamonds have better precision and brilliance, they will cost you more. Moreover, it is understood that a new, in demand commodity is always on the pricier side – a classic case of the supply and demand concept!
7.      Lastly, Each Has a Different Motive for Cut	The main goal of diamond designers back in the day was to give the diamond a better cut and color while not focusing a lot on its brilliance.	Nowadays, designers are brilliance oriented. They work to bring about the sparkle in the diamond as much as possible.

 FAQs on Round Brilliant Diamonds and European Cut Diamonds

 Q) What is most important in a round diamond?

Ans. The cut is the one and the only factor that should be considered before buying a round diamond. The GIA also grades a round diamond based on its cut. A cut refers to the alignment and polish of the stone. A round diamond with perfectly aligned stones and polished will have a higher grade awarded by GIA.

Q) Do old European cut diamonds sparkle?

Ans. Yes, they do. However, they are not really sparkly, as designers back in the day used to focus more on the cut and clarity of the diamond as opposed to its brilliance. Moreover, they have larger culets, which makes the brilliance lower.

Q) Do old European cut diamonds look bigger?

Ans. Yes, it looks bigger because of its large facets. It displays more vibrant and sparkling scintillations.

Q) Can you tell if a diamond is a European cut diamond?

Ans. Certain factors will help you identify a European cut diamond. Firstly, they have a large culet. Secondly, these diamonds have smaller tables and larger facets. They also have frosted girdles. They also have 57 to 58 facets – the same as their modern counterparts: the round brilliant diamonds.  

Q) Are old European cut diamonds hand cut?

Ans. Yes. They were manufactured from the 1890s to the 1930s, which was a time when there was no machinery available. Diamonds were cut by hand, and therefore they have less precision as compared to modern diamonds.

Q) How do the European cut diamonds look like?

Ans. They have a circular shape and are less sparkly. Also, they have frosted girdles.

Final Thoughts – Which One to Choose?

There are numerous factors that you should consider before making your decision. Carefully observe the factors that influence your choice when purchasing a diamond. Look at the precision, analyze the cost, and think about what appeals to you more. In the end, the decision is yours to take.

If you have a tight budget, you should definitely go with a European cut diamond. It is equally stunning and beautiful. European Old diamond is old, but that doesn’t mean it is any less valuable or worthy! These gemstones will likely give you a better value for money! But if you do have the budget, you can go for a round diamond whose brilliance is unmatched by any other diamond.

You should definitely follow your heart and go for those if you are attracted to round diamonds because of their symmetry and precision. However, if the uniqueness of a European cut diamond is appealing to you, then make that your pick!

All in all, both the diamonds are perfect. So, choose the one that you find appealing.