Abhishek Ghatiwala
Uniquely radiant, a rose-cut diamond is one of the oldest diamond cuts and was first developed in 1400s. This beautiful cut has been used in jewellery for centuries. Unlike the brilliant cut, a rose cut is a flat bottom diamond and has three to twenty-four facets on its dome-shaped crown top resembling a rosebud and therefore the name. It was very popular till late 1900 when the brilliant cuts came in and took over the market. Therefore, most of the vintage jewellery you see would be set with rose-cut diamonds.
The Cuts
Initially, rose cuts only had 3-6 facets, growing to 12, 16, 18 and eventually the 24 facets that we see today. One can also use a double rose cut with domed faceting on both sides, often used in unique diamond chains. If made with a sharp top and a fat bottom, the rose cut can also mimic a water droplet and is often used in a pendant or a necklace.
The Investment
The best part of a rose-cut diamond is that the look it creates is of a much larger size as compared to the carat weight that it actually is, all thanks to its flat bottom. This means that you get to pay much less for the same size look as compared to a brilliant-cut diamond. With the light hitting the top, the dome creates a beautiful glow and literally shimmers with the light. This type of diamond will look most charming under the romantic night sky with soft candlelights reflecting upon it.
But make sure to invest in top-quality rose cuts. Because of its fewer cuts, one can see all the blemishes inside easily and therefore an internally clear high-quality diamond should be preferred for that perfect radiance. The 4C’s – Carat, Colour, Clarity and Cut also apply with these diamonds and are a must to look into when buying a large size.
The Trend
The rose cuts were most popular during the Georgian and Victorian Eras. After the Victorian Era, their popularity declined, until the turn of the century. With antique and vintage jewellery trends on a rise, this beautiful cut is making a powerful comeback. The demand is up and with a modern standardized cutting process diamond manufacturers are also able to supply as much. Rose cuts are available in various shapes like rounds, marquise, oval, cushion and even pear shapes.
They make an ideal choice for rings for couples who love vintage and everything old world. One of the most impressive collections of rose-cut diamond jewellery can be seen with the British royal family and Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana, Kate Middleton and Princess Beatrice are often seen wearing them for special occasions. But it is the engagement rings of celebrities like Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Aniston, Alison Brie and Camila Alves who have given this cut a new shine. Even brands like Tiffany & Co. have launched engagement rings, especially with this unique cut. All these have made the millennial generation turn and give attention to this cut that they were not aware of.
The Jewellery
Rose cuts are mostly paired with emeralds, rubies and tanzanite to create old-world charm. But my personal favourite is the combination with emeralds as the warmth of the rose cuts is best reflected against the greens. The translucent look of the rose cuts also lets the gemstones shine and helps create a look of understated luxury.
Ghatiwala Jaipur has always been a leader in the jadau jewellery category till now but looking at the rise of the rose cuts, we converted our form language to rose cuts and gemstones. These were an instant hit amongst our clients and therefore, along with our jadau, we have expanded our rose cuts line into a full collection titled ‘Roses’. My love for emeralds is also reflected in our rose cut collection as well. We have combined all shapes and cuts of emeralds with rose-cut diamonds like ovals, rounds, cabochons and even heart shapes.
As far as engagement rings are concerned, rose-cut diamonds can be used in both the solitaire and halo ring styles. With the halo ring style, the rose-cut diamond will be placed at the centre with a bezel setting, and then the halo base will separate from the
centre diamond – giving this ring a vintage feeling!
About the Author: Abhishek Ghatiwala is the Creative Head and CEO of Ghatiwala Jewellers, a legacy jewellery brand based out of Jaipur. A third-generation jeweller, Abhishek learnt to tell the cut and clarity of coloured stones through dinner table conversations with his grandfather Kanhaiya Lal Ghatiwala
