Princess Cut Engagement Rings · Bedfordview, Johannesburg
Princess-cut engagement rings, made to order in South Africa.
The princess cut is a square brilliant: crisp, modern geometry with the fire of a round, and because the square shape wastes less of the rough it often delivers more carat per rand. Every Prodiam princess ring is made to order in our Bedfordview workshop, with the centre stone cut at Procut DCW and set in protective V-claws as a solitaire or halo in the metal you choose. Natural, GIA-certified diamonds, priced on application, with insured delivery anywhere in South Africa.
Brief us on a princess-cut ring See loose diamonds → Custom engagement rings →
A princess cut from the Prodiam bench, yours made to order
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2.00 ct princess cut, halo setting -
The same ring, V-claws protecting the corners
A past princess commission, photographed at the bench. Each ring is made to order around your chosen stone and priced on application; nothing shown is offered as stock.
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Only natural diamonds
Mined-Earth, never lab-grown. Kimberley Process documented from the mine of origin.
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GIA & EGL certified
Every loose stone certified by the GIA or EGL. Cert PDF supplied per stone.
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Insured overnight delivery
Brink’s, G4S or our nominated jewellery courier across South Africa. Ferrari Group / FedEx Custom Critical international.
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14-day in-person exchange
In-person sales at the viewing room come with a 14-day exchange courtesy on stock pieces. Distance-sale CPA cooling-off applies.
The princess cut: square outline, brilliant fire
A princess is a square modified brilliant, brilliant-style faceting arranged in a square outline, so it keeps much of the round’s fire while reading as crisp, contemporary and architectural on the hand. The clean straight sides sit beautifully against modern bands and channel-set shoulders, and the flat top catches light in sharp flashes rather than the soft scatter of a round. For a buyer who wants sparkle but a more modern line than a classic round, the princess is the natural choice.
Protecting the corners
The princess’s one vulnerability is its four pointed corners, where the crystal comes to a fine point. Left exposed those points can chip, so a princess is held in protective V-claws that wrap each corner and shield it, the standard, correct way to set the shape. Set this way, a princess is entirely robust for everyday wear; the risk people sometimes hear about only arises from a thin or careless setting that leaves the corners unguarded. We build the V-claws into every princess ring as a matter of course.
Settings for a princess, halo and solitaire
- Solitaire, the square stone alone in a four-corner V-claw head, the cleanest way to show its geometry.
- Halo, a square or cushion pavé frame that squares up the outline and adds size and light, as on the ring shown above.
- Channel-set shoulders, small princess or round diamonds set flush into the band, a natural match for the cut’s straight lines.
- Three-stone, a princess centre with princess or tapered side stones, balanced to the centre on our bench.
Why a princess can stretch the budget
A princess is cut from the rough with far less waste than a round, so the cutting yields more finished carat from the same crystal, and that efficiency reaches you as better value per carat. It is the practical reason a princess of a given weight typically costs less than a round of the same weight and grade.
| Choice | What we make to order |
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| Length-to-width | ~1.00–1.05 for a true square; above ~1.10 reads rectangular |
| Carat | From around 0.50 ct to 4 ct and above, to your budget and hand |
| Colour | D–F colourless, or G–I near-colourless; princess corners can hold colour, so we check face-up |
| Clarity | An eye-clean VS–SI1, chosen so inclusions do not show |
| Metal | 18k white, yellow or rose gold, or platinum, with V-claws |
| Certification | GIA / EGL certified; report supplied with the stone |
Pricing is on application, the stone drives the figure, and you receive a firm ZAR quote, excl. VAT, before any work begins.
How a princess ring is made to order
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Brief
Ratio, carat, colour and clarity range, setting style, metal, budget and deadline. We respond within 24 hours.
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Choose the stone
We present GIA-certified princess cuts on the daylight tray or by video, each with its report.
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Build & cast
The setting is built and cast in your chosen metal, with V-claws and any halo pavé matched at the bench.
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Set & finish
The princess is set with each corner protected, the ring hand-polished, and checked under loupe and microscope.
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Hand-over
Presentation at Bedfordview by appointment, or insured overnight courier nationwide. Certification and a written valuation included.
Comparing shapes? See the round brilliant, oval, emerald and radiant cuts, or start from the loose diamonds on the bench. When you are ready, brief us and Darren will come back within 24 hours.
Princess cut engagement rings: common questions
Is a princess cut cheaper than a round of the same carat?
Often, yes, per carat. A princess cut is sawn from the rough crystal with far less waste than a round, the square shape keeps more of the original stone, so the cutter passes on better carat-for-carat value. It also faces up with a slightly smaller table than a round of equal weight, so you are buying more weight for the money rather than more face-up size. Either way the stone drives the figure; we quote a firm price on application before any work.
Do princess cut diamonds chip easily?
A princess has four sharp, pointed corners, and those points are the vulnerable part of any square cut, left exposed they can chip. The fix is in the setting: we hold a princess in protective V-claws that wrap and cover each corner, which is standard practice for the shape. Set properly, a princess is perfectly robust for everyday wear; the risk only arises with a thin or careless setting.
What is the best length-to-width ratio for a princess cut?
For a true square princess, a length-to-width ratio of about 1.00 to 1.05 reads as square to the eye. Above roughly 1.10 the stone starts to look rectangular, which some buyers prefer. The report lists the measurements so you can work out the ratio, and we will show you stones at different ratios so you can see the difference before you choose.
Are princess cut diamonds GIA certified and graded for cut?
Our princess diamonds are GIA or EGL certified, with carat, colour and clarity graded in full on the report. GIA does not assign an overall cut grade to fancy shapes such as the princess, it grades polish and symmetry only, so the cutter’s skill, not a printed cut grade, governs how bright and even the stone looks. That is the part a working cutting house controls.
Can you make a princess cut engagement ring if I am not in Johannesburg?
Yes, clients commission princess cut rings from Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Gqeberha and across South Africa. The stone and design conversation happens by video and WhatsApp, you approve the diamond and the setting, and the finished ring is delivered insured and overnight nationwide via Brink’s or G4S, with its certification and a written insurance valuation.