Beginning in 2007 celebrities and their stylists have been returning to a glamorous vintage look for many popular red carpet events. The Golden Globes award ceremonies were noted for their abundance of subdued and vintage looks worn by the likes of Angelina Jolie and Sienna Miller. From the old fashioned appeal of their gowns to the cut and styles of their diamonds, the celebrities were clearly in favor of a gentler fashion sense. The most major feature of the evening was the jewelry, and in particular the resurgence of the rose cut diamonds.
It was Angelina Jolie who wore the most noted example, with a matched set of gold necklace and earrings with the rose cut stones. Though this style of diamond cutting has lost much of its appeal as cutting tools have improved, it began to appear at a lot of events following the Golden Globes. Many jewelers and fashion commentators were asking why this look was having a rebirth because the diamonds are offer much less “bling” value when cut in such a flat manner. The answer was actually quite simple…mystery and style.
Stylists and celebrities supported their choice in the old fashioned cut, including a second style referred to as mine cut, because it presented the stones in a less fiery or sparkly fashion, and instead made the light from the jewelry much softer, keeping it in tone with the hair, makeup and fashion choices being made by celebrities. This more subtle approach to beauty and fashion is becoming more and more popular with celebrities and the public alike. The trend for more “natural” make up, less fussy hair styles and softer colors in clothing is on the rise.
Later in 2007 the Screen Actors Guild awards saw even more dramatic use of diamonds cut in the vintage manner, and clothing of a less flashy design; with actresses Cate Blanchett and Felicity Huffman putting the look to the best effect. Blanchett donned a dramatic strand of rose cut diamonds that plunged past her neckline, and paired the stylish necklace with two carat antique mine cut diamond stud earrings. Huffman wore a notable pair of rose cut earrings, while Edie Falco chose an antique necklace and earrings dating to the 1800s. The celebrity’s gowns and hair stylings were considered a good match to their jewelry, with soft colors and gentle appearances being the most popular choice.
The antiquated cuts, such as the rose and mine cuts, are considered a bit wasteful where the physical rough diamond is concerned. Because of this the vintage, estate and antique jewelry industry has seen a tremendous surge of interest in pieces using stones cut in this manner. While some buyers are having vintage rose cut jewelry refitted in new settings or enhanced for safer wearability, some buyers are simply wearing each piece in its original format.
These original, antique rose cut diamond pieces are all generally unique in appearance due to the requirements of such a flat cut. Quite often vintage rose cut jewelry will have a foil backing meant to give a bit of “fire” and sparkle to the stone that the cut cannot provide. These bits of foil will act like reflectors and turn the light back out from the stone, and some of the foils can even present a false coloration to a rose cut diamond. This is particularly valuable in today’s growing market for colored diamonds.
Sadly, many rose cut stones have not made it into the present due to changing trends in diamond jewelry. These stones were bought up by the thousands during the last century and were re-cut into the popular, and intensely sparkling, brilliant cut seen in a great deal of diamond jewelry. Fortunately today the advent of rose cut popularity has forced designers and jewelers to purchase these remaining rose cut diamonds wherever they find them and preserve them, or even reset them in new pieces.
The popularity of the rose cut stones was even noted in recent national headlines, when the incredibly successful public television program “Antiques Roadshow” made a stop in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Here a viewer brought in a family heirloom necklace for appraisal. The Edwardian era pearl and diamond necklace (with a remarkable five carat rose cut pendant topped with a second two carat bauble) drew tremendous attention from the entire crowd and was issued an appraisal value set at well over two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The owner noted that she had had the necklace appraised in 1988 where it garnered a value of ten thousand dollars. The antiques appraisers and experts at the show confirmed that the popularity and demands for original rose cut diamonds had created an increase in the value of such stones, and that the appraisals accurately reflected the change in styles over the short span of twenty years.