Like other fancy cut diamonds, the GIA does not grade the cut quality of Princess cut diamonds. For this reason, couples should note that any jeweler who advertises GIA-certified Princess cut diamonds with cut grades is offering their own opinion. In other words, the accompanying GIA certificate will not list a cut grade. Notably, there is also no industry standard for what constitutes an “Ideal Cut Princess Diamond,” either. However, there are certain specifications you can look for to help you choose a bright and brilliant Princess. We’ve put together the table below to help you evaluate cut.

Pro Tip! The most lively and beautiful Princess cut diamonds have good play between light and dark when rocked back and forth (diamond experts call this “contrast”). Yes, that’s right, you want some darkness in your stone! The main things are that you want it to be even throughout (not only in the center or in the corners), and not make your overall stone too dark.

The color grade of a diamond refers to how much color (or lack of a color) a diamond shows. The diamond color scale begins at D and ends at Z. D, E, and F colors are “colorless,” like water. G-Z stones show varying degrees of light yellow. Because Princesses are “brilliant” stones, you can mask some color with great sparkle. As a result, near colorless Princesses in the G and H range will often still appear white while providing great value.

Like most diamonds, a smaller Princess cut will hide color better than a larger stone. So, if you want a large, ice white diamond, it is best to stick in the D-G color range. However, many couples find that they prefer an H or even I, depending upon size, as they cannot see much of a difference for the money. The color chart below provides a guide for evaluating color, depending upon size.

The clarity grade of a diamond is how “crystal clear” the gem is. Almost all diamonds have some internal markings, called “inclusions,” that identify them as natural. Most couples we speak with want an “eye clean” stone. In other words, a gem in which the inclusions are not visible to the naked eye. Eye clean stones are the best value! The fewer inclusions a diamond has, the more “flawless” it is. As it is harder to see inclusions on smaller Princess cut diamonds than larger ones, some couples consider lower clarity ratings on smaller diamonds, as they maintain an eye-clean appearance. Larger stones show inclusions more easily, so couples should take care in confirming eye-clean appearance. Luckily, because Princess cuts are “brilliant” stones, their sparkle masks small blemishes fairly well. The clarity chart below provides general guidelines for picking a clarity rating for your diamond, based on inclusion tolerance.

Clarity Tip! Please note that the ratings in the Eye Clean column assume that your jeweler will double check the gem is actually eye-clean. Every time a customer purchases an engagement ring from us, we send a gemologist to confirm the diamond is “eye-clean.” We inform the customer if it isn’t.