Square engagement rings are among my many, many favorites. I love the clean lines, the chic simplicity, the stark corners that these shapes have. I love the juxtaposition of a dazzling brilliant cut contained in a sharply cut cornered radiant. I love the bold symmetry of a princess cut, a look you just can’t find in other shapes. I never tire of an Asscher cut of impeccably clarity that you can just stare into for hours. Square cuts are certainly some of my very favorite diamond engagement rings! And I love that they can be classic, or as edgy, or as feminine as the typical round brilliant, but with an unexpected twist. Whether you want to step outside the box (circle) of RB diamonds, or you’re looking to stretch your budget (these cuts are less per carat than rounds – huzzah!) a square engagement ring needs to be on your “To Admire” list. Here’s why.
An irresistible Natalie K engagement ring with princess cut channel set accent stones, a two tone 18kt gold band, and a lovely .92 carat G color, VS2 clarity square radiant cut diamond.
If you need to take a moment to collect yourself, you’re not alone. This 5.01 carat fancy yellow radiant cut halo engagement ring is one of my all time favorites (surprise, surprise.) Its center stone is a surprising SI1 that camouflages its inclusions expertly with a gold bowl setting beneath the diamond. The crisp white halo is subtle, but still adds .68 ctw of round brilliant G/H VS1 diamonds to the 18kt white gold setting.
Another of my favorites, another featuring fancy yellows. Again, shouldn’t surprise you if you’ve read my other posts waxing about fancy yellows. This ring is different though. I’ve never seen anything like it come into our store. First of all, it’s rare that Raymond Lee will come across an Asscher cut – this is our only one. Even more rare that it’s big and beautiful, like this F color, SI step cut masterpiece. Weighing in at 3.18 carats, its held snuggle in its platinum prongs. And on the side, light fancy yellows as accent stones. Now, plenty of our rings have fancy yellow side stones. My own engagement ring has fancy yellow side stones. If/when Oprah visits Raymond Lee she would have plenty of opportunities to shout “YOU get fancy yellow side stones! And YOU get fancy yellow side stones!” But these bad boys are step cuts. Spotting step cut fancy yellow diamonds in the wild (not at Sotheby’s) is like seeing a dog walk on its hind legs. It’s special. You should stop to appreciate. I’ll explain why in another post because this is definitely turning into a two-parter…
For some reason I always forget this princess cut is”only” 2.20 carats. It looks much bigger. With a large, internally flawless center stone to helm this ring, things only get better and bolder with the soft touch of a round brilliant band. I like that the band softens up the ring and adds fluidity to it, while still using large stones. These add another 1.5 carats to the ring, and all areG/H in Color and VS in Clarity
Look closely, this isn’t a cushion cut! Those beautiful Al Aletto rounded prongs get me every time. Nope, this is a three stone radiant cut ring, with a gorgeous 3.03 carat K color VS1 GIA center flanked by two more radiant cuts totaling .94 carats. All wrapped up in a gorgeous platinum cathedral setting that our friend excels at!
