Old Mine Cut

Before the Round Brilliant

The Old Mine Cut — also called the "Old Miner" or "Mine Cut" — is the cushion-shaped brilliant that dominated fine diamond cutting through the 18th and much of the 19th century. Before machines made perfectly round diamonds possible, cutters shaped each stone by hand, following the rough crystal's natural form to create softly rounded squares and rectangles, usually with 58 facets. It is the direct ancestor of today's cushion cut.

These diamonds were cut in an age of candlelight, and their proportions show it: high crowns that give strong fire, small tables, large open culets that show as a small window in the centre, and broad facets that throw big, warm flashes of light rather than the fine sparkle of modern cuts.

For the Gavin-Deutz family, Old Mine Cuts are the foundation of the craft. When Brian's great-great-grandfather Benjamin Deutz began cutting diamonds in Amsterdam in the 1880s, Old Mine Cuts were still in the trade. The family's path from hand-cut Old Miners to Brian's patented Gavin Effect® round brilliant follows the whole arc of modern diamond cutting — read more about Brian Gavin and his family.

The Age of Hand Cutting

Old Mine Cuts were produced before mechanical bruting (girdling) machines came into use in the late 19th century. Each diamond was shaped by hand and polished on a wheel, the cutter following the rough crystal's natural geometry. Every stone came out slightly different — no two Old Mine Cuts are identical.

The name "Old Mine" is usually explained by where most diamonds of the era came from: the old mines of India, including the historic Golconda region, and later Brazil. Many Golconda diamonds are of the rare, chemically pure Type IIa. Before the South African discoveries of the late 1860s and 1870s, India and Brazil were the world's main sources — several of the legendary historic diamonds come from this era.

The Diamond Centres

Old Mine Cuts were produced in the great cutting centres of their time:

• Amsterdam — A leading European centre, where the Deutz family (Brian Gavin's ancestors) established their cutting tradition in the 1880s
• Antwerp — Amsterdam's long-standing rival
• London — A major trading centre serving the British market
• India — One of the earliest centres of diamond working, long before the European trade

The Transition to Modern Cuts

Mechanical bruting machines, introduced in the 1870s, made truly round diamonds practical for the first time, giving rise to the Old European Cut and, in the 20th century, the modern round brilliant. As cutting technology advanced, Old Mine Cuts fell out of fashion, and many were recut into modern shapes, losing their historical character.

That recutting is one reason surviving original Old Mine Cuts are now scarce, and prized by collectors.

What Makes an Old Mine Cut

Old Mine Cuts are recognisable by several features that set them apart from modern cuts:

• Cushion-shaped outline — A softly rounded square or rectangle; never perfectly round
• High crown — Much taller than a modern round's crown, giving strong fire and colourful flashes
• Small table — Typically well under the 53-58% of a modern round, sending more light through the crown facets
• Large, open culet — Visible through the table as a small "window" at the bottom of the stone. Modern cuts have a pointed culet or a very small one
• Broad facets — Larger facet planes that create bold flashes rather than fine sparkle
• Imperfect symmetry — Hand cutting leaves slight variations between facets; this is characteristic of the style, not a flaw
• Warm light character — Cut in the era of candle and gas light, Old Mine Cuts give a warm, romantic sparkle rather than the bright, white brilliance of modern cuts

Different Beauty, Not Lesser Beauty

Judging Old Mine Cuts against modern brilliants misses the point. They were cut for a different era and a different aesthetic:

Modern Round Brilliant: Optimised for brightness under electric light, with bright, white sparkle and fine scintillation. See the anatomy of the round brilliant.

Old Mine Cut: Strong fire from the high crown, with warm, colourful flashes and bold sparkle. Hand-crafted, individual character.

Neither is "better" — they represent different philosophies. Modern cuts are the product of optical science; Old Mine Cuts are the product of master craftsmanship before that science existed.

The Recut Question

Some buyers purchase Old Mine Cuts intending to recut them into modern shapes. We strongly discourage this for collectors:

• Recutting usually costs a significant share of the carat weight
• The historical character and provenance are permanently lost
• Original Old Mine Cuts are finite, and every recut leaves fewer
• Many collectors now seek out antique cuts for their own sake

Once an Old Mine Cut is recut, the handwork of a cutter from more than a century ago is gone for good.

What to Look For

• Symmetry within the style — Though hand-cut, the best Old Miners show remarkable precision. Look for balanced proportions and even facet placement
• Fire and dispersion — A good Old Mine Cut throws strong colourful flashes. This is its defining beauty
• Clean culet appearance — The open culet should be clean and centred, not chipped or off-centre
• Original condition — Untouched stones with original facets are generally preferred to re-polished ones
• Provenance — Documentation of age, origin or historical significance adds value

GIA Grading of Old Mine Cuts

GIA grades Old Mine Cuts on the same colour and clarity scales as modern diamonds, but does not give them a cut grade — GIA's cut grade applies only to standard round brilliants. The report describes the shape with a cushion brilliant description rather than the trade name "Old Mine". Our guide to grading laboratories explains what each report covers.

Colour is graded face-down, while an antique cut's face-up appearance can differ from a modern cut of the same grade. Look at the stone as well as the report before judging its colour.

The Collector Market

Demand for Old Mine Cuts rests on several things:

• Sustainability — An antique diamond is an existing, recycled stone
• Individuality — Each stone is unique; no modern production diamond offers this
• Historical appreciation — Wider awareness of the history of diamond cutting
• Vintage jewellery — Interest in Victorian and Art Deco jewellery supports demand for antique stones
• Scarcity — Supply is finite and shrinks as stones are recut or lost

Pricing Considerations

Old Mine Cut pricing follows different rules from modern diamonds:

• Size, colour and clarity matter, but cut character and condition matter just as much
• Exceptional examples with documented provenance can command premiums
• Large Old Mine Cuts (5 carats and up) in good condition are genuinely rare
• The market is less standardised than for modern diamonds — expertise is essential for accurate valuation

A Personal Connection

For Brian Gavin, Old Mine Cuts are the foundation of his family's five-generation tradition. The Deutz-Gavin line began when Old Mine Cuts were still in the trade — and every step since, from Old European Cuts to the modern round brilliant to the patented Gavin Effect®, builds on the craftsmanship of these hand-cut stones.

We selectively source exceptional Old Mine Cut diamonds for collectors who value their history, individual character and warm beauty. Our evaluation considers:

• ✓ Cut character and fire — the defining aesthetic quality
• ✓ Original condition — untouched, with original facets preserved
• ✓ Symmetry and proportion quality — the best hand-cutting of its era
• ✓ GIA grading report documenting colour, clarity and carat weight
• ✓ Provenance research — historical documentation when available
• ✓ Expert assessment — Brian Gavin's evaluation of the stone's character and beauty

Each Shape Tells a Different Story

• Round Brilliant — Maximum brilliance; The Gavin Effect® patented cut
• Emerald Cut — Sophisticated step-cut elegance; patented design
• Cushion Cut — Romantic pillow shape; patented Hearts & Arrows design
• Oval Cut — Elongated brilliance; generally looks larger for its carat weight
• Pear Cut — Elegant teardrop; versatile and flattering
• Radiant Cut — Brilliant fire meets geometric outline
• Princess Cut — Modern square brilliant; lively scintillation
• Marquise Cut — Royal heritage; long outline for its carat weight

All consultations are complimentary and without obligation. We build long-term relationships based on education, trust, and exceptional service.