The unique flat surface and vintage charm of portraitcut
diamonds are capturing the attention of jewellery
enthusiasts and collectors across the globe. Priyanka
Talreja Garegrat explores how this classic form of
diamond-cutting has evolved into a style that signifies
understated luxury
The portrait-cut diamond
is crafted to create a
unique window-like effect,
resembling a slender pane
of perfectly transparent glass. It is one
of the oldest forms of diamond-cutting,
believed to have originated in India
during the 16th and 17th centuries.
According to legend, the Mughal
Emperor Shah Jahan was fond of
portrait-cut diamonds and used them
to protect and enhance the miniature
hand-painted portraits in his jewels.
This practice of placing portraits beneath
the gems to enhance their appearance
and protect them gave birth to the
name "portrait cut.
This trend found its way to Europe in
the 19th century, when both men and
women started wearing hand-painted
miniature portraits of their lover's eyes
on a ring or locket, which would then be covered with a portrait-cut diamond.
This way, the lovers felt connected to
each other, even when physically apart.
Unlike typical natural diamonds that
exhibit brilliance, portrait-cut diamonds
are meticulously crafted and polished
to a level surface that resembles glass.
Achieving the ultra-thin, clean diamond
cut required for portrait-cut diamonds
necessitates top-quality rough stones and
expert precision cutters.
The Portrait-Cut Look: Like Water
Floating on the Skin
Today, the portrait-cut diamond
represents an understated and crisply
tailored style of jewellery. This look is
for women who prefer the ‘barely there’
glamour. Because these stones are flat,
designers today prefer to use very little
metal around them, making them look
like they are floating on the skin.
Portrait-cut diamonds are also versatile
and can be fashioned into a wide variety
of shapes, ranging from classic round and
oval cuts to more unconventional shapes
such as hexagons, triangles and kites. This
flexibility allows designers to create unique
and striking pieces that can be tailored
to meet individual preferences. While
the antique portrait cuts had a brown
cast, the contemporary ones are found in
higher colours, such as D, E, and F.