The Flanders Ideal Square Cut has the visual outline of a square shape but it has four short sides and four long sides, almost like a square radiant with its four cut corners. The stone is cut to ideal proportions for maximum brilliance. The cut was developed in the late 1980s by Belgian diamantaires with the aid of a highly sophisticated computer.
When viewed from the top, the cut has two perfect squares at 45-degree angles to one another to form the table. The square shape has 61 facets, compared to 58 for a round brilliant. Most Flanders Ideal Square Cut diamonds are cut in this square shape with less than 2 percent cut in a rectangular shape, which has 65 facets.
The Flanders Ideal Square Cut has been marketed in the United States since 1999 and the sole distributor in the United States is National Diamond Syndicate. Because the computer design for cutting is quite difficult to follow, the number of cutter is very limited. This greatly limits the supply of diamonds available at any time on the wholesale market.
The Antwerp Diamond High Council (HRD) has stated that the brilliancy of the Flanders Ideal Square Cut diamond is equal to, and in many cases surpasses, the brilliance of a round diamond.
The Flanders cut diamond can take on a different look depending if the stone has the corner up or a side up. One unique aspect of the Flanders Ideal Square Cut is that the length and width measurements on the certifications are taken from corner to corner and not side to side as for a square radiant. This is something the typical diamond shopper is unaware of and is important if the shopper is making decisions based on the certification measurements.
By measuring Flanders from corner to corner instead of side to side, there is about a 13% difference. In other words, if you are comparing a Flanders cut diamond that measures 5.5 x 5.5 mm and a square radiant cut diamond measuring 5.5 x 5.5 mm, the Flanders will be much smaller looking.
We are no longer able to sell the Flanders cut diamonds because a jewelry store chain got exclusive rights to sell them in the Richmond, Virginia area.
Most of our clients who like the looks of a Flanders Cut diamond, end up purchasing a square radiant. Square radiant cut diamonds (illustrated on the right) can have exceptional brilliance, even compared to a Flanders Cut diamonds, but the greater selection and larger millimeter size for the price make them more affordable and attainable.