2.5 Carat Princess Cut Lab-Grown Diamond Solitaire Engagement Ring
A 2.5ct princess cut Lab-Grown Diamond, D–F color, VS+ clarity, IGI certified, held by four corner prongs on a plain polished band with a comfort-fit interior, in solid 14K gold. Made to order in 7 to 10 business days on my bench in Woodside, Queens.
How big is a 2.5 carat princess cut?
About 7.5mm on each side, and roughly 10.6mm corner to corner across the diagonal. The diagonal is the number to hold onto, because the eye reads across the corners rather than along an edge. A 2.5ct round measures 8.7mm across — so edge to edge the princess faces up smaller, but corner to corner it is nearly 2mm wider than any round of the same weight. On the hand it reads considerably larger than the side measurement implies.
Why is a princess cut the best value at this weight?
Because of how it comes out of the rough, and the advantage compounds as stones get larger. Diamond rough forms as an octahedron and a princess cut is essentially half of one — two stones from a single piece with very little waste. A round brilliant throws away well over half the rough to reach its shape. Large rough is the scarcest material in the trade, so at two and a half carats the price gap between a princess and a round of matched quality is at its widest anywhere in the catalog. You are not paying less for a lesser stone. You are paying less for a shape that wastes less, and at this weight that saving is substantial.
Why are the prongs on the corners?
The corners are the thinnest and most chip-prone part of a princess cut, and the exposure grows with size — a 7.5mm square has considerably more corner projecting than a 5.5mm one. A prong on each corner covers the vulnerable points and leaves all four faces open to light. It looks like the prongs simply sit at the widest points; the placement is doing protective work. An exposed corner is the most common way a princess cut gets damaged, and at this size a chip is not a repair, it is a recut.
What color and clarity is the diamond?
D through F, the colorless range, and VS+ clarity, eye-clean at any angle. Princess cuts are brilliant-faceted like a round, so they hide inclusions better than a step cut such as an emerald — but the corners catch color, and at two and a half carats there is a great deal more stone for it to show in. Staying in D–F keeps all four points as white as the center. The IGI report ships with the ring.
Which wedding band fits it?
A contoured band. There is a second gallery under the head — an extra rail of gold beneath the basket that carries the stone's weight and stops the prongs flexing over years of wear. At this weight it is structural rather than optional, and most makers leave it out. It is also why a straight band will not seat: the band meets the gallery rather than the shank and stands off, leaving a gap under the stone. A curved band dips at the center, clears the gallery and nests flush. I make both to order, so tell me and I will cut the pair to meet properly — or start with the plain contour band or the pavé contour.
How long does it take, and can it be resized?
Made to order in 7 to 10 business days, sizes 4 through 9 including halves. Resizing is complimentary within 60 days of delivery, craftsmanship carries a lifetime warranty, and you have 14 days to return it if it is not right and you have not had it engraved. It ships fully insured in our signature suede pouch with the IGI report.
Want a different weight or shape?
The same ring runs at 1ct. To compare shapes, start with the diamond shape guide. Anything not on the site, I build custom.
Who makes it?
I do. One bench, one pair of hands, in a workshop in Woodside, Queens. Nothing here sits in a case waiting for a buyer — yours is cast, set and finished after you order it.
