Antique Cuts
Old Mine Cut Diamonds
Nearly 300 old mine cut diamonds in stock, every one shown in 360°. Hand-cut character the big retailers barely carry, ready to pair with any Hitched setting or to see in person in Philadelphia, Washington D.C. or Chicago.
What makes an old mine cut different
An old mine cut is the cushion-shaped ancestor of the modern brilliant, cut by hand from the early 1700s through the late 1800s. Where a modern round brilliant is calculated for maximum white light return, an old mine cut was shaped by eye and cut for candlelight: a smaller table, a high crown, a deep pavilion, and a large open culet you can see straight through the table, like a small window at the heart of the stone.
The result is a different kind of sparkle. Instead of the fine, fast glitter of a modern cut, old mine cuts throw broad, slow flashes of light, what antique dealers call a chunky pattern. The facets are big enough to read individually, so the stone has a face, and no two faces match. Slight asymmetry is not a flaw in an old mine cut. It is the evidence that a person, not a machine, made it.
Old mine cuts also tend to look warmer than their color grade suggests, which is why so many are set in yellow gold, and why K through M colors that would be a compromise in a modern cut are often the most beautiful choice in an antique one.
Why they are hard to find
Genuine antiques are a shrinking supply, and the large online retailers barely stock the cut at all, in any form. Our collection mixes true antique-era stones with newly cut old mine style diamonds, including lab-grown old mine cuts faceted to the historical proportions: the high crown, the small table, the open culet. You get the candlelight character with a modern certificate and a modern price.
Every stone on this page is in our physical inventory or held for us by our cutting partners, photographed and filmed in 360°, so what you shortlist is the exact stone you receive, not a stock photo of a similar one.
Questions, answered
What is an old mine cut diamond?
An old mine cut is an antique diamond cut used from the early 1700s to the late 1800s: cushion-shaped, with a small table, high crown, deep pavilion and a visible open culet. Cut by hand before electric lighting, it produces broad, slow flashes rather than the fine glitter of a modern brilliant.
Old mine cut vs old European cut, what is the difference?
The old mine cut is squarish and cushion-shaped with a larger culet; the old European cut came later and is round, with a smaller culet and slightly more regular facets. Old mine cuts read more antique and romantic, old European cuts sit closer to a modern round. We stock both, so you can compare them side by side in 360°.
Do old mine cut diamonds sparkle less than modern cuts?
They sparkle differently, not less. A modern brilliant is optimized for constant white glitter under bright light. An old mine cut throws bigger, slower flashes with more visible color, a fire that shows best in low and warm light, which is exactly what it was designed for. Many people find it more alive on the hand, not less.
Are old mine cut diamonds more affordable?
Often, yes. Old mine cuts retain more rough and are priced on character rather than on cut-grade charts, and newly cut old mine style stones, especially lab-grown ones, deliver large face-up size for notably less than an equivalent modern round brilliant. Our old mine inventory starts around $2,500 for stones over a carat.
What settings suit an old mine cut diamond?
Bezels and simple solitaires suit them beautifully, and yellow gold flatters their warmth. Our Signature Heirloom Bezel was designed with antique cuts in mind, and every Hitched setting can be made for an old mine cut center. Pair any stone on this page with any setting and see the full price before checkout.
Can I see an old mine cut in person before buying?
Yes. Shortlist stones from this page and book a viewing in Philadelphia, Washington D.C. or Chicago, and we will have your selection ready to compare in person with a gemologist. There is no obligation to buy, and the viewing deposit applies to your purchase.