European Cut
eu·ro·pe·an cut | ˌyu̇r-ə-ˈpē-ən kət
noun
The style of diamond cutting popular from approximately 1890 to the 1930s, typified by a round girdle, a smaller table in relation to the diameter of the stone, and a large culet
The European cut for diamonds was very popular for about four decades between 1890 and 1930 during the Art Deco period and is seen by many as the precursor for the modern round brilliant cut diamond. These old diamonds were not cut for brilliance but for the carat weight. The result is that they are not as sparkly as the more modern cut that has become so popular. A European cut diamond has 58 facets compared to the 57-58 that a modern cut diamond has. These diamonds remain popular as antiques or vintage pieces because they are all unique, hand-cut by the original jeweler.