Old mine cut reproductions are diverging in price from originals

Modern stones cut in the old mine style to meet demand for an antique look are pricing well below genuine antique-cut stones, and the gap between the two has widened.

• An old mine cut is a specific historic cutting style with a small table, high crown and cushion-like outline; a genuine antique is a stone actually cut in that era, while a reproduction is a modern stone cut to imitate the look.
• Demand tied to antique cushion and old European cuts has pulled buyers toward the style faster than the supply of genuine antique-cut stones can meet, which has pushed more buyers toward reproductions.
• Because reproductions can be cut from any suitable rough, cutters have scaled up supply, and prices have not kept pace with the genuine-antique segment, widening the gap between the two.

If the history of the cut matters to you as much as the look, ask specifically whether a stone is a genuine antique cut or a modern reproduction — the two are graded and priced differently even when they look similar to the eye. Contact us for help telling the two apart on a stone you're considering.