Antique jewelry glossary

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English square cut

A modification of the brilliant cut of a diamond that has an 8-sided table to which abut 8 triangular facets alternating with 8 more triangular facets (the bases of which abut the girdle), and that has on the pavilion 8 similar triangular facets (the bases of which abut the girdle) and 4 large isosceles-trapezoid facets that meet at a point at the bottom (or 4 large 5-sided facets if they abut a culet), totalling 28 facets (plus the table and culet). The crown is not as deep as the pavilion.

The result is to take maximum advantage of the strong colour dispersion, but the fewer facets detract from brilliance. Also called the 'English brilliant cut'.

From: An Illustrated Dictionary of Jewelry, autor: Harold Newman, publishers: Thames and Hudson