Transition Cut

Transitional Cut is an antique style of diamond cutting that developed during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries as diamond cutting evolved from the Old European Cut towards the modern brilliant cut.

Transitional cut diamonds are generally round in outline and retain several characteristics of earlier antique cuts, including a relatively high crown, deep pavilion and visible culet. However, their proportions and facet arrangement were gradually refined to improve brilliance and light return.

The cut became particularly popular from approximately the 1910s through the 1930s and is frequently found in late Edwardian, Art Deco and early twentieth-century jewellery. Improvements in cutting technology and the increasing use of mechanical methods allowed diamonds to be cut with greater consistency than earlier hand-cut stones.

Transitional Cut is sometimes confused with Old European Cut, but there are useful distinctions. Old European Cuts generally have smaller tables, higher crowns, deeper pavilions and larger culets, producing the broad, softer flashes characteristic of antique diamonds. Transitional Cuts generally have larger tables, somewhat lower crowns and smaller culets, bringing them closer to the proportions of the modern brilliant cut.

Transitional cuts occupy an important place in the history of diamond cutting because they represent the gradual move from traditional hand-cut antique diamonds towards the more precisely engineered brilliant cuts used today.

At Weldons, transitional-cut diamonds are particularly relevant when assessing early twentieth-century and Art Deco jewellery, where they can provide a useful indication of the period and cutting technology of a piece.

Period: Primarily approximately 1910s–1930s
Typical shape: Round
Historical development: Between Old European and modern Brilliant Cuts
Typical features: Relatively large table, high crown, deep pavilion and smaller culet than earlier antique cuts
Characteristic appearance: Bright but still distinctive antique-style sparkle

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Weldons

We love jewellery!! Weldons is a fourth generation family jewellers with over 100 years experience in supplying top grade certificated diamonds and rare and unusual pieces of jewellery for every occasion. We specialise in one-off pieces of vintage and estate jewellery, engagement rings and anniversary rings. We also stock one of the widest ranges of antique Irish silver in the world, from rare 17th and 18th century pieces to modern giftware and tableware.