Old Mine Cut

An antique diamond cut popular before the early 20th century, known for its unique, hand-crafted shape.

Part of speech: noun
Definition: The Old Mine Cut refers to a style of diamond cutting popular during the 18th and 19th centuries, characterized by a high crown, a small table, and a flat culet. This cut was most commonly used in Georgian and Victorian era jewelry, providing a distinctive, squarish shape with rounded corners that predates modern diamond cutting techniques. Due to its hand-crafted nature, each Old Mine Cut diamond has a unique appearance, contributing to its desirability among antique jewelry collectors and enthusiasts today. The cut is known for its ability to maximize the stone's fire and brilliance under candlelight conditions, a feature that made it immensely popular in its time. With the advent of electric lights and advances in gemstone cutting technology, the Old Mine Cut fell out of favor, making genuine pieces highly sought after in the vintage jewelry market.