Princess cut: the "modern classic"

The Princess Cut is the ultimate choice for the person who loves the intense, modern sparkle of a Round diamond but prefers the clean, architectural lines of a square. It is bold, geometric, and undeniably "extra."

At Jewelry by Cleo, we view the Princess cut as the "modern classic." It was designed in the 1960s and 70s as a high-intensity alternative to the traditional round, offering a sharp, edgy look that still delivers world-class brilliance.

Why Choose a Princess Cut?

The Princess cut is a "Square Modified Brilliant." While the Emerald cut is subtle and glassy, the Princess cut is explosive and fiery.

Maximum Fire: The facet pattern is designed to break light into a thousand tiny sparkles. If you want a diamond that can be seen from across the room, this is your shape.
Modern Edge: The sharp 90-degree corners provide a clean, contemporary silhouette that feels more "designed" than a traditional round.
Great Value: Because the square shape of a Princess cut mimics the natural shape of a raw diamond crystal, there is less waste during the cutting process. This often makes a Princess cut more affordable per carat than a Round Brilliant.

The JbC "Perfect Square" Standard

When browsing our [Loose Stone Steals], you’ll notice that Princess cuts can range from perfectly square to slightly rectangular.

The Sweet Spot: At Jewelry by Cleo, we curate stones with a length-to-width ratio of 1.00 to 1.05. This ensures the stone looks perfectly symmetrical to the naked eye, providing that crisp, balanced look that defines the shape.

Styling Your Princess at Jewelry by Cleo

The sharp corners of a Princess cut allow for some of our most architectural and secure settings:

The V-Prong Solitaire: Our signature way to set a Princess. V-prongs wrap around the sharp corners, protecting them from impact while accentuating the square silhouette.
The Bezel Frame: A full gold bezel around a Princess cut creates a bold, "golden frame" effect. It’s a favorite for the "cool-girl" minimalist.
The Channel Set Band: Pairing a Princess center stone with a channel-set diamond band creates a seamless, continuous line of sparkle that feels incredibly luxurious.

Pro Tip: To give your Princess cut a softer look, try a Kite Setting. By rotating the stone 45 degrees so the points face North, South, East, and West, you transform the square into a dramatic diamond shape.

Bold Lines. Brilliant Sparkle.

Whether you are looking for a 1-carat lab-grown "steal" or a 3-carat natural heirloom, Jewelry by Cleo is dedicated to finding Princess cuts that are perfectly square, incredibly fiery, and structurally sound.

Ready to find your match? Shop Princess Cuts or Design Custom Ring to see how this sharp shape looks in our signature gold finishes.

READY TO MAKE SOMETHING YOURS?

Every Cleo piece starts with a conversation — about what you're envisioning, what the piece means, and what will make it exactly right. There's no pressure and no commitment. Just a conversation with Gabrielle.

→ Start your custom design questionnaire
→ Browse the Diamond Vault
→ DM us on Instagram @jewelrybycleo

Questions? Reach Gabrielle directly on WhatsApp — she responds personally.

The Twisted Pavé Solitaire - Jewelry by Cleo

JbC advice 4cs

Princess Diamond

Buying a heart shape requires a "visual first" approach. A certificate can't tell you if a heart looks pretty, but these specs will help you narrow it down.

SYMMETRY (The Most Important C) In a heart shape, symmetry is everything. If one side is even a hair larger than the other, the entire look is ruined.

JbC Advice: Draw an imaginary line down the center of the stone. The two halves should be mirror images. We hand-vet every heart in the JbC Vault to ensure the cleft is sharp and the points align perfectly.

CUT (The "Cleft" and the "Point") The cleft (the dip at the top) should be distinct and sharp. If it's too shallow, the stone looks like a "bloated" pear; if it's too deep, it can look split.

JbC Advice: We look for a distinct "V" at the top and a sharp point at the bottom to give the stone its iconic definition.

COLOR (Sensitivity at the Tips) Like pears and marquises, heart shapes can trap color at the very tip and along the rounded lobes.

JbC Advice: For a bright, white appearance, we recommend G or higher. If you are choosing a yellow gold setting, an H or I can offer a beautiful, warm vintage feel that complements the romantic nature of the shape.

CLARITY (Brilliance Hides Faults) Because the heart shape has a lot of "busy" sparkle, it is quite good at hiding small inclusions.

JbC Advice: Focus on an "Eye-Clean" SI1 or VS2. As long as the inclusion isn't right in the middle of the "table" (the top flat part), you won't see it through the sparkle.