Old Cut

Old cut engagement rings are shaped by hand, not by machine. Each stone carries broader facets, a higher crown, and proportions that were set by individual craftsmen, stone by stone.

At Carat Diamonds, every ring in this collection is available in two stone options: certified lab grown diamonds and moissanite. Both are cut to antique proportions and available in old mine cut and old european cut styles.

If you want a ring that does not look like everything else in a display case, this is where to start.

Old Cut Rings Available in Lab Grown Diamond and Moissanite

Old cut diamonds and moissanite stones in this style were both shaped before laser-guided machines standardised every angle. Each stone is cut individually, with broader facets, a deeper pavilion, and a high crown that handles light differently from a modern round brilliant.

Key characteristics of old cut stones:

• Larger, open facets: light spreads across the stone in broad, soft patterns
• High crown and deep pavilion: more weight sits below the girdle than in a modern cut
• No two stones are identical; variation in geometry is the point, not a flaw
• Open culet visible through the center, the defining detail of the old european cut

Both lab grown diamond and moissanite in this collection are cut to these same antique proportions. Browse the full old cut engagement rings and old cut moissanite engagement rings to see both options.

Old Mine Cut and Old European Cut

Both cuts sit within the old cut family, come from different periods, and have different outlines. Both are available in lab grown diamond and moissanite at Carat Diamonds.

Old Mine Cut

The earlier of the two, from the Georgian and early Victorian eras. Cushion-like, squarish outline, very high crown, small table facet. No two share the same proportions; each was shaped individually from rough stone.

• Cushion-square outline, squarish from above
• Very high crown, deep pavilion, small table
• Works best in yellow or rose gold settings
• Available in lab grown diamond and moissanite

Old European Cut

The latter of the two was prominent from the 1890s through the 1930s. The round outline is the direct predecessor to the modern round brilliant but retains the high crown, smaller table, and open culet of antique hand cutting.

• Round outline, closer to a modern brilliant in shape
• High crown and open culet, the characteristic centre eye
• Works across yellow gold, white gold, and platinum
• Available in lab grown diamond and moissanite