The evolution of diamond cuts
When you think of diamonds in engagement rings, they are round and sparkling...the classic image is the round brilliant cut, but the history of cuts to make hard diamonds shine beautifully dates back to ancient times, and there are many different types of cuts.
The history of diamonds began when they were discovered in India around 800 BC. They were worn as talismans and were believed to have mystical powers. Although there were advanced polishing techniques, people preferred diamonds that were polished round and not beveled.
In the 14th century, there were already diamond cutters in Paris. Around this time, the brilliance of diamonds became a necessity, and so people began to devise ways to cut gemstones so that they would shine.
In the mid-15th century, the rosent cut and table cut, which later became the basis for the square cut and emerald cut, were introduced, and in the second half of the 16th century, the rose cut was introduced in the Netherlands.
Rose Cut
Layered -KASANE-
Rose cut resembling a rose bud with an antique feel.
The back is flat, while the front is dome-shaped, with the surface rising toward the center. Its elegant and delicate sparkling appearance made it popular among the royal families and aristocrats of Medieval Europe.
At KARAFURU, it is used in the "Kasane" series of rings.
In the 17th century, many diamonds began arriving in Europe from India and South Africa.
Research began into diamond cuts that would shine more in candlelight and stand out at court parties, and the rose cut, which has more polished surfaces than the table cut and is more glamorous, became popular. Then, after further research into how to make diamonds shine even more, the Mazarin cut, known as the first brilliant cut, was created.
At the end of the 17th century, Venetian craftsmen introduced the old mine cut, the forerunner of modern brilliant cuts, which had 58 polished facets but was almost square in shape.
Further research led to the development of the rounded Old European cut, which is very similar to the modern rounded round brilliant cut. The polish was still 58, but the round shape gave it more sparkle.
At the end of the 19th century, electric lights were developed, and research began on cuts that would shine in the light of electric lights. Then, in 1919, mathematician and jeweler Marcel Tolkowski published his book "Diamond Design," in which he theoretically discovered the ideal round brilliant cut, which is the cut that makes diamonds shine most beautifully, based on optical properties. This was the birth of the classic brilliant cut that everyone thinks of today.
Brilliant Cut
Bud -TSUBOMI-
The classic 58-faceted cut of diamonds. This is the diamond cut commonly seen in engagement rings, and it enhances the brilliance of the diamond by reflecting light. The most famous is the round brilliant cut.
At KARAFURU, it is used in the "Tsubomi" series of rings.
Later, unique brilliant cuts other than round (called fancy shapes) such as oval, marquise, pear, heart, etc. were created. In addition, many diamond cuts were created that utilize elements other than just brilliance, such as the emerald cut, which follows the step cut style, and the mixed cut, which combines various cuts.
Emerald Cut
Forehead -GAKU-
It is named after the cut that is often used for emeralds, but it is also used for diamond cuts.
When viewed from the side, the diamond is cut to have a stepped outline (step cut), and when viewed from above, it is square, with a flat surface at the top called the table. Because there are few polished surfaces, the diamond's inherent beauty and transparency stand out.
The emerald cut itself has been around for a long time, but it wasn't until the 1900s that technology advanced to make it possible to create an emerald cut on a diamond.
At KARAFURU, it is used on the square pieces in the “GAKU” series.
Research into how to bring out the brilliance and beauty of diamonds is still ongoing.
It is somewhat moving to think that diamonds, which have been said to have mystical powers since ancient times, are still worn by people today.
The diamond cuts we handle at KARAFURU are rose cut, brilliant cut, and emerald cut. We are currently developing an old mine cut design.
Each cut has its own unique character and beauty.
Choose the cut that best suits your style.
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KARAFURU Daikanyama
03-6452-5427
info@karafuru.jp
LINE:karafurujp
1F, 2-20-14 Ebisu Nishi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
OPEN: 11:00-18:00 / CLOSE: Mon. & Tue.
Right outside the north exit of Daikanyama Station/ 7 minutes walk from Ebisu Station
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