Old Mine Cut vs. Old European Cut Diamonds: How to Tell Them Apart

The quickest way to tell them apart is the outline: an old mine cut is cushion shaped, squarish with rounded sides, while an old European cut is round. Old mine cuts are also older, generally from the 1700s through the late 1800s, while old European cuts dominate from the late 1800s into the 1930s. Both are hand-cut antique diamonds with a high crown, a small table and usually an open culet, and both look quite different from a modern round brilliant.

New to antique diamonds? Start with our guide to what old cut diamonds are.

Side by side

What makes a diamond an old mine cut

Old mine cuts were cut by hand from the rough, with the cutter's main aim being to keep as much weight as possible. The result is a cushion outline that follows the shape of the original crystal, a tall crown, a deep pavilion and a small table. Looking straight down, you will often see the open culet as a small circle or octagon at the center. Under a loupe the facets can look slightly uneven, and the outline is rarely perfectly square. That irregularity is a sign of handwork, not a flaw. Shop old mine cut diamonds.

What makes a diamond an old European cut

The old European cut appeared once machines could round a diamond more easily in the late 1800s. It has the same basic arrangement of facets as a modern brilliant, but different proportions:

• Round outline. Close to circular, though usually not machine-perfect.
• Small table and high crown. The top facet is smaller and the crown taller than on a modern stone.
• Open culet. A flat facet at the bottom that shows as a small circle in the center when viewed from above.
• Short lower facets. The facets on the underside are shorter than a modern brilliant's, which creates the broad, chunky pattern of light that old European cuts are loved for.
• Thicker girdle and slight asymmetry. Cutters favored weight over perfect symmetry, so some variation is normal.

Shop old European cut diamonds.

How both compare to a modern round brilliant

A modern round brilliant has a larger table, a lower crown, longer lower facets and a pointed culet with no visible opening. It is cut for maximum brightness under strong light, which gives that fine, white, pinpoint sparkle. Old cuts give fewer, larger flashes and more visible color, and they look their best in soft natural light or candlelight, which is the light they were designed for.

In between sits the transitional cut of the 1930s and 1940s: round, with a slightly larger table and smaller culet than an old European cut. It is a good choice if you want a little more brightness while keeping antique character.

Which is right for you?

• Choose an old mine cut if you love the softest, most romantic look, a cushion shape, and the Georgian or Victorian aesthetic of yellow gold and silver tops.
• Choose an old European cut if you want a classic round solitaire or an Edwardian or Art Deco platinum ring, with a little more brightness.
• Either way, judge the stone on how it looks to you, ideally on video in natural light, rather than on modern cut grades, which were never meant for antique proportions.

Questions we hear often

Is an old mine cut the same as a cushion cut?

An old mine cut is the antique ancestor of today's cushion cut. Modern cushion cuts are cut to different proportions, with a larger table and a smaller or closed culet.

Does GIA grade old cut diamonds?

Yes. GIA reports describe the cutting style, for example "Old European Brilliant" or "Cushion Old Mine Brilliant", along with the color and clarity grades.

Which is more valuable?

Neither cut is automatically worth more. As with any diamond, size, color, clarity and how well the individual stone was cut matter most, along with the quality and condition of the mounting.

See the difference in person

Browse our antique engagement rings to compare both cuts, or ask us for a side-by-side video of any two pieces. You can also visit by appointment in Great Neck, New York.

Written by Shawn Eshaghian, appraiser and co-owner of The Antique Parlour in Great Neck, New York, which he runs with Natasha. He writes and signs The Antique Parlour's certificates of appraisal.