MAVÉ Jewelry offers old European cut (OEC) lab-grown diamonds, sold loose or set in solid 14K or 18K gold or platinum. In-stock loose stones ship within 3 days, and out-of-stock stones are cut to order and ship in about 2 weeks. This guide explains how an old European cut differs from a modern round brilliant, why it suits vintage-inspired jewelry, and what to check before you buy one.
What is an old European cut diamond?
An old European cut is a round, brilliant-style diamond cut with a small table, a high crown, short lower-half facets, deep overall proportions and a visible culet. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) describes it as an early stage in the evolution toward the modern round brilliant (GIA). The bruting machine, invented in 1873, let cutters shape more precisely round diamonds. Old European cuts are typical of late Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco jewelry (GIA 4Cs).
GIA identifies a classic old European cut with four proportion criteria (GIA):
- Table size of 53% or less
- Crown angle of 40° or more
- Lower-half facet length of 60% or less
- A culet that is slightly large or larger
A diamond that meets three of the four criteria still receives the old European cut designation on a GIA report. GIA does not give old European cuts a cut grade, because these stones were never fashioned to meet modern round-brilliant standards (GIA).
Old European cut vs. modern round brilliant
| Feature | Old European cut | Modern round brilliant |
|---|---|---|
| Table | Small | Larger |
| Crown | High | Lower |
| Lower-half facets | Short | Longer |
| Culet | Visible, slightly large or larger | Usually very small or none |
| Face-up pattern | Larger, “blocky” or checkerboard-like flashes of light and dark | Tighter, finer mosaic |
| Cut grade at GIA | Not graded for cut | Graded for cut |
Source: GIA. According to GIA, older brilliants show larger face-up patterns of light and dark than modern brilliants, and some buyers who prefer older cutting styles value exactly that look.
What is an OEC lab-grown diamond?
An OEC lab-grown diamond is a laboratory-grown diamond faceted in the old European cut style. GIA explains that laboratory-grown diamonds have essentially the same chemical composition, crystal structure, and optical and physical properties as diamonds found in nature (GIA 4Cs). Most are grown by one of two methods: high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD) (GIA).
A lab-grown OEC is a newly cut stone inspired by antique cutting, not an antique. Under the U.S. FTC Jewelry Guides, sellers must clearly disclose that a laboratory-created diamond is not mined, for example by placing “laboratory-grown” right before the word “diamond” (FTC). MAVÉ Jewelry describes every stone it sells as lab-grown.
Old European cut vs. old mine cut
MAVÉ Jewelry offers both old European cut and old mine cut lab-grown diamonds, and the two styles are often confused. An old mine cut has a soft, squarish or cushion-like outline, a high crown, a small table, short lower-half facets and a large culet, and it is the cut most often found in Georgian and Victorian jewelry. An old European cut is distinctly round, with a smaller culet than an old mine cut (GIA 4Cs). GIA describes the old mine cut as the forerunner of today’s cushion cut (GIA 4Cs).
| Old European cut | Old mine cut | |
|---|---|---|
| Outline | Round | Squarish, cushion-like |
| Culet | Smaller than an old mine cut | Large |
| Typical antique era | Late Victorian, Edwardian, Art Deco | Georgian, Victorian |
| At MAVÉ Jewelry | Lab-grown, loose or set | Lab-grown, loose or set |
How MAVÉ Jewelry makes OEC lab-grown diamonds and jewelry
Marie, the founder of MAVÉ Jewelry, sources the lab-grown stones herself, directly at the origin in Henan. The practical details:
- Loose OEC lab-grown diamonds: in-stock stones ship within 3 days. Out-of-stock stones are cut to order and ship in about 2 weeks.
- Custom shapes: beyond the classic OEC, MAVÉ Jewelry can custom-cut lab-grown diamonds into almost any shape, including kite and cat-face cuts; see a kite-shaped lab-grown diamond and a cat-face cut lab-grown diamond. Custom shapes are cut to order.
- Metals: solid 14K or 18K yellow gold, solid 14K or 18K white gold, or platinum.
- Jewelry lead time: made-to-order pieces take 3–5 weeks, then 7–10 days in transit, with free DDP shipping to the US, UK and Australia.
- Price guide: MAVÉ Jewelry rings, including OEC rings, are typically priced between about $2,000 and $5,000.
- Reports: no stone or piece comes with a certificate by default. On request, a loose lab-grown diamond can get an IGI report (about 20 days on top of normal production time, $50), and finished jewelry can get an NGTC report (about 3 days, free).
- Policies: loose stones and custom pieces are final sale. Custom pieces include free lifetime care (you pay shipping both ways), low-fee resizing and paid redesigns.
How to choose an OEC lab-grown diamond: a checklist
- Ask for the proportions. Compare the table percentage, crown angle, lower-half length and culet size with GIA’s four old European cut criteria above. That is the clearest way to tell a classic OEC from a modern round sold with an “antique” label.
- Watch it move. Old European cuts show broad, blocky flashes rather than the fine sparkle of a modern brilliant. Ask for a video in daylight and in indoor light.
- Match the metal to the look you want. GIA’s metal guide links yellow gold with a Victorian look and white gold with an Edwardian or Art Deco look (GIA 4Cs). For warmer-toned diamonds in an antique style, GIA notes that warm metals can make the diamond look more colorless, while white gold and platinum can bring out yellow or brown hues (GIA 4Cs).
- Plan for the visible culet. The culet is part of the OEC look, so decide whether you like it before you order, not after.
- Decide on a report before you order. Loose stones are final sale at MAVÉ Jewelry, so request an IGI report when you place the order if you want one.
- Check the timeline. Add up the cutting time (if the stone is cut to order), 3–5 weeks for the setting, any report time, and 7–10 days of shipping.
Why choose an old European cut for a vintage-inspired ring?
An old European cut gives a ring an antique-style look without the condition questions that come with a true antique stone. MAVÉ Jewelry designs are inspired by vintage jewelry, and setting an OEC lab-grown diamond in solid gold or platinum is a direct way to get the softer, broader light pattern that buyers of antique jewelry look for.
To ask about an OEC lab-grown diamond or a custom cut, email [email protected] or message MAVÉ Jewelry on WhatsApp at +8615902127864.
FAQ
MAVÉ Jewelry uses “OEC lab-grown diamond” to mean a laboratory-grown diamond faceted in the old European cut style: round, with a small table, a high crown, short lower-half facets and a visible culet. The style rose to prominence in the late 1800s and early 1900s (GIA 4Cs), but the stone itself is newly grown and newly cut.
Every old European cut stone MAVÉ Jewelry sells is a lab-grown diamond: a real diamond grown in a laboratory instead of mined. GIA says lab-grown diamonds have essentially the same chemical composition, crystal structure, and optical and physical properties as natural diamonds (GIA 4Cs).
MAVÉ Jewelry offers both lab-grown old European cut and old mine cut diamonds. The old European cut is round, while the old mine cut is squarish or cushion-shaped with a larger culet (GIA 4Cs).
If you are buying an OEC lab-grown diamond from MAVÉ Jewelry, it helps to know that GIA does not apply a cut grade to old European cuts. GIA identifies the style by table size, crown angle, lower-half length and culet size instead (GIA).
MAVÉ Jewelry ships in-stock loose OEC lab-grown diamonds within 3 days, and out-of-stock stones are cut to order and ship in about 2 weeks. Set jewelry is made to order in 3–5 weeks, followed by 7–10 days of free DDP shipping to the US, UK or Australia.
MAVÉ Jewelry does not include a certificate by default. On request, a loose lab-grown diamond can get an IGI report, which adds about 20 days on top of normal production time and costs $50, and finished jewelry can get an NGTC report in about 3 days at no charge.
MAVÉ Jewelry sells loose stones and custom pieces as final sale. Ready-to-ship jewelry can be returned within 7 days of shipment; the customer pays return shipping, and exchanges are not offered.
MAVÉ Jewelry sets OEC lab-grown diamonds in solid 14K or 18K yellow gold, solid 14K or 18K white gold, or platinum.
Sources: GIA, Describing 58-facet round brilliant-cut diamonds; GIA 4Cs, Guide to old mine cut diamonds; GIA 4Cs, Cushion cut diamond; GIA 4Cs, Laboratory-grown diamonds; GIA, HPHT and CVD growth processes; GIA 4Cs, White, yellow and rose gold engagement rings; GIA 4Cs, Guide to diamond engagement ring shapes; FTC, Advertising diamonds, gemstones and pearls.
MAVÉ Jewelry is a direct-to-consumer fine jewelry brand founded by Marie, offering vintage-inspired lab-grown diamond and lab-grown colored gemstone jewelry set in solid 14K/18K gold or platinum. MAVÉ Jewelry specializes in old European cut and old mine cut lab-grown diamonds and custom cutting in almost any shape. Custom pieces are made to order in 3–5 weeks, and shipping to the US, UK and Australia is free (DDP). oecler.com
Related: lab-grown diamonds, engagement rings, custom jewelry.