When most people think of an ideal diamond, it is flawless – pure white, perfectly symmetrical and sparkling.
But there is a trend that promotes individuality, even obstinacy, above perfection in a diamond. More people are looking for diamonds with light imperfections that illustrate the origin of a stone in nature and old cuts that offer a subtle twinkle instead of an intense sparkle.
“The definition of people from the beauty of a diamond opens,” says Rebecca Selva, the creative director of Fred Leighton, a jeweler in New York who sells vintage and contemporary pieces. “They are attracted by antique diamonds and old cuts, which come on warmer tones, such as light brown or blush; They are juicy stones with character. ‘
These older cuts, made between the years 1700 and 1930, are characterized by wide facets and large culets, the term for the point at the bottom of the jewel where the facets come together. Hand cut by hand, often by candlelight in the beginning, the diamonds can have visible imperfections in their preparation, but the results are often described by designers as softer, more romantic stones.
An example is the old mine cut, which creates a square stone with rounded corners and a high crown (the upper part of the diamond), a style that is popular in the Georgian and Victorian eras. Subsequently, the old European cut came and produced a rounded stone with a large table (the flat surface on the diamond), which prevailed from the 1890 to 1930s. In the early 1900s, when machines were introduced to make cutting more efficient, diamonds became accurate and uniform. Today’s Snijders are led by technology and laser machines to maximize sparkle and minimize waste.
Since the 1940s, when the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) introduced the 4Cs (Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat) as the standard for rank and price diamonds, consumers are trained to think that stones that are rated higher are better and therefore more expensive.
Over time, diamond purchases became ‘academic’, said Lauren Deyoung, a sixth generation New York jeweler who offers vintage jewelry and adapted engagement rings. “Buyers were too focused on the paperwork of the 4C.
“Nowadays, more people want to express their own style in a diamond ring,” she said. “They want something unique and are less focused on the figures.”
Even seasoned experts are fascinated by the old cuts.
“There is a charm for older diamond cuts; I tend to like it more, “said Tom Moses, an executive vice president at the GIA and one of the leading diamond experts in the industry.
The older cuts sometimes miss sparkle, he said, because craftsmen cut them to make interesting patterns. “The result is often a combination of light and dark patterns, along with scintillation in the diamond,” he said. “They have character and charm.”
Shift to subtlety
The growing interest in vintage diamonds and new diamonds, such as the old styles, is partly a change in taste. Not everyone wants a huge flashy stone such as the oval diamond engagement ring from Lady Gaga, who have estimated observers at no less than 20 carat.
And more subtle diamonds who do not attract the kind of attention that can come up with a sparkling rock seem to be in harmony with today’s casual lifestyle.
The jewelry designs by Jean Prounis reflect that kind of modest atmosphere. Her new vowed bridal collection contains vintage diamonds, which she buys from estate dealers, in its characteristic handmade 22-carat-recycled gold designs, inspired by ancient Greek and Roman jewelry.
“There is a unlearning of what we think that diamonds should look like,” said Mrs. Prunis. For generations, the teeth institution was the most popular engagement ring style, she said, but more brides now opt for rings with bezels set (an older design in which the stone is equal with the metal). It is a style that Mrs. Prunis has used since she founded her prunis rendering company in New York in 2017.
“I work with old antique cuts with broad crazy large facets that have a warmer color and work well with warmer gold,” she added.
The warm glow that people often attract to old diamonds is considered negative in new cut stones, which are appreciated for their whitiness on the scale of colors.
“People are more tolerant of imperfections when it comes to an old stone,” said Caroline Morrissey, a director and the head of jewelry in Bonhams in New York. New stones are held on a higher standard because they are cut with the latest technology and lasers, and customers expect perfection; Is almost impossible to find an age -old diamond that is flawless, she said.
When shopping for a modern diamond, customers can search for carat weight, cut and color, but with a vintage diamond they must be more flexible. “You can’t just order an old diamond, it’s a more organic way to buy a stone,” said Mrs. Morrissey. “You have to see the stones and find the one you make contact – it’s more personal.”
In some cases, vintage stones can offer better value because they are usually lower on a GIA certificate, said Corina Madilian, co-owner of Single Stone, a jeweler in Los Angeles who specializes in vintage diamonds in modern institutions. “Our sweet spot is two to two and a half car diamonds, and if you sacrifice a little color, you can get even bigger for the same price,” she said.
She added that a reason why more young people are attracted to distinctive vintage stones is the proliferation of synthetic diamonds.
“The younger generation is eliminated by Lab cultivated diamonds,” said Mrs. Madilian. “They see people walking around with a really white diamond ring from four to five carats, and it is surprising or bred. A vintage stone looks different and people will know that it is real. “
New diamond, old cut
When Hayley Litchfield, a businesswoman in Brooklyn, and her fiancé in December Mrs. Deyoung went to shop for an engagement ring, she liked the idea of a recycled diamond. After a first conversation, Mrs. Deyoung presented five stones, and Mrs. Litchfield fell in love with a vintage 2.23 carat diamond with a cushion cut, which can be square or rectangular with round corners.
For the diamond, she opted for a yellow gold bezel institution, which she described as a thick signdi ring style. “It is sleek, stylish and the diamond reflects the light in a way that is difficult to articulate, making it feel very unique,” she said.
Mrs. Litchfield was lucky to find a vintage stone that ‘spoke to her’, said Mrs. Deyoung and noted that they are often difficult to find out, so they also sources new diamonds that are cut in the old style.
To meet the demand, Fred Leighton created the Fred Leighton Round Diamond in the style of an old European cut three years ago. The new stones offer consistent sizes and quality for designs that require matching stones, such as earrings, bracelets and river chains.
Only because the diamonds are old does not mean that the jewelry is dated. Instead, Fred Leighton positions old cuts in oxidized silver and gold collets settings in a simple Rivière chain that Mrs Selva described as “timeless, clean designs that look cool and beautiful on every old person.”
A few stone is known for setting old European and cushion cuts in contemporary hanging chains, daring rings and minimalist earrings.
Mrs. Madilian said that with all the attention on old diamonds, customers are increasingly bringing in family pieces to reset their stones in stylish new ways and to give a second life.
“People used to bring in the stone of their grandmother and pointed to the imperfections,” she said. “Now they see the beauty in the old stones with their imperfections.”
