Styles for Princess Cut Wedding Bands

Have you or your partner always envisioned your wedding day as a romantic fantasy? A princess and her prince uniting to live happily-ever-after? By name alone, a princess cut ring would be the ideal choice to make your fairy-tale dreams come true.

Or maybe you’re more contemporary and edgy and want your wedding ring to reflect this sensibility. With its versatility and chic square shape, the princess cut could also be a perfect fit for you.

Since the 1980s, the “Princess Cut” has risen to be the second most sought-after shape for engagement and wedding rings, just behind the popular round brilliant cut. The princess cut is distinguished by its square face-up shape, inverted pyramid side-on shape, and sharp corners.

Why Are Princess Cut Diamonds Popular?

If you’re looking to get a ring that’s dazzling, but doesn’t break the bank, a princess cut is the perfect choice. Princess cuts are often popular because they both shine brightly, but also tend to be less costly than other diamond shapes. Because the princess cut retains approximately 80% of the rough diamond, prices are lower than other shapes of the same carat. While round cut stones are known for shining most brightly, the princess cut comes very close and at a fraction of the price.

Choosing a Princess Diamond

A diamond’s brilliance and shine is determined by how it looks from above, so you want to be particular about a length-to-width ratio when selecting a stone to make sure you’re getting the most bang for your buck. Jewelers recommend that when selecting a square-shaped princess, you look for a length-to-width ratio between 1 and 1.05. A length-to-width ratio of 1.1 or greater creates a more rectangular look, but this can make the diamond less brilliant because of the stretched facets. Most smaller stones used in wedding bands are automatically cut for the ideal square shape of a princess. For more on exact measurements of length-to-width ratios, visit our education page.

Length to Width for Princess Cut Diamonds (L÷W = Length to Width Ratio)

Princess Diamond | Length to Width (1.0 — 1.0

Princess Diamond | Length to Width (1.05 — 1.05

Princess Diamond | Length to Width (1.25 — 1.25

Whether you are looking for a ring with some vintage flair, a classic, traditional style, or something wholly original and contemporary, the princess cut is for you. Because of their versatility, princess cut stones work well with both traditional and more contemporary style rings. Their angular shape looks beautiful in both classic and more geometric settings. Princess cut diamonds are more forgiving in terms of the cut’s ability to camouflage imperfections, which means they look great as both small and large stones.

So now that you’ve decided a princess cut is for you, what are the ideal setting and style options for princess cut wedding bands?

Prong Setting

Do you imagine your princess cut diamond wedding ring set with other pave diamonds? Or perhaps you dream of a host of gemstones, royal blue sapphires or dazzling emeralds, flanking a flawless princess cut diamond? All of these are possible with a prong setting, which is ideal for larger stones or tapering stone sizes. In this setting, four prongs wrap around the crown of a stone to secure it in place. Also known as a claw setting, this style minimizes the amount of metal used, allowing more light to pass through a diamond or gemstone. This ups the sparkle factor on every ring.

To view this diversity of rings, including antique and alternative bands, and compare, shop here.

Channel Diamond Setting

Imagine an assortment of stones arranged side by side in a platinum band, with no space between them for a continuous diamond surface. Or consider a single princess stone inset into the top of a band for him. A channel setting is best for smaller stones, particularly when wrapped around a band. In this style, diamonds or gemstones are secured in place between metal walls, creating a smooth channel. There’s also a more contemporary alternative, known as the bar channel, which is both more secure and shows off each small stone individually. Picture a flurry of diamonds, laced in a bar channel of gold--the perfect way to say “I do.”

For a list of all setting types and their differences, see here.

Whether you’re planning a wedding on a Cinderella scale or eloping with a chic, short dress and only your partner, the princess cut offers the versatility and beauty to satisfy the needs of any couple.