Old cuts, new light
Why we re-set antique diamonds rather than re-cut them — and when we don't.
Antique diamonds were cut by hand, by candlelight and by eye. They are softer and warmer than modern brilliants, with larger facets that flash rather than sparkle.
When a family brings us an old stone, the first instinct is often to have it re-cut to modern proportions. We usually advise against it.
Why we re-set
Re-cutting loses weight, and with it the character that made the stone worth keeping. A new setting — higher claws, a fresh mount, cleaned and polished — is usually enough to bring an old stone back to life.
“An old cut was made for the light of its time. Our job is to give it a setting for ours.”
Gemmologist, Beirut workshop
When we don’t
Sometimes a stone is chipped or badly worn, and a careful re-polish protects it. We only do this after showing the family exactly what will be lost and what will be gained.
Either way, the stone is weighed and recorded before and after, so the family knows it is the same diamond.