The Revival Of Vintage Cuts: How Taylor Swift Brought The Old Mine Cut Diamond Back To Life
And she did! She said Yes!
On August 26th, Taylor Swift got engaged to NFL star Travis Kelce in a magical and heartwarming moment, marking the beginning of the next chapter of their beautiful and everlasting love story.
While Swifties celebrated alongside the beloved superstar’s happiness, what caught everyone’s eyes was not just the love but also the dazzling ring that stood as a shining symbol of their bond.
What was so special about this engagement ring?
A Closer Look
Photo Credit - https://www.usatoday.com/picture-gallery/entertainment/celebrities/2025/08/26/taylor-swift-kelce-engaged-photos-ring/85835057007/
The ring Travis Kelce proposed with, co-designed by Kindred Lubeck of Artifex Jewelry and Kelce himself, is nothing short of breathtaking. Capturing timeless romance, this vintage-inspired old mine brilliant cut 8-carat diamond sat atop a glowing gold band.
The ring has garnered attention for straying from fleeting trends and instead embracing timeless history and character. Jewelers worldwide have stepped forward with their observations and admiration. Angie Kennedy, Zales’ VP of Merchandising, remarked: “Her ring’s balance of vintage and modern – from the subtle micro-bezel outlining the center stone to the engraved yellow gold band that graduates into the diamond – reflects two of today’s most exciting bridal trends.”
Lauren Boc, founder and CEO of Hera Fine Jewelry, explained that the diamond’s elongated shape, paired with its antique style, gives the ring a distinctive presence on her hand. While she noted it may not be a true antique based on its proportions, the cut reflects an old mine or antique-inspired style with broader, chunkier facets and a visible culet – qualities that set it apart from modern brilliant cuts.
Old Mine Cut - A Blast from the Past
What sets Taylor Swift’s ring apart is its distinctive Old Mine Cut—a choice many believe could spark a vintage jewelry renaissance.
Photo Credit - https://learningjewelry.com/guides/buying-diamonds/diamond-cut/old-mine-cut/
Unlike cookie-cutter solitaires, these diamonds exude a sense of luxury, rarity, and individuality. Handcrafted by master artisans long before the era of modern precision cutting, Old Mine diamonds were shaped by eye rather than machine, giving them a soft square silhouette, larger facets, and a fiery brilliance unique to each stone. No two are alike, making them deeply personal symbols of love. Though they lack the razor-sharp sparkle of modern cuts, their charm rests in a warm, romantic glow that carries with it a rich sense of history.
The History Behind
The Old Mine Cut diamond holds a special place in jewelry history, celebrated for its antique charm and unique characteristics that distinguish it from modern cuts.
Rising to prominence in the 18th and 19th centuries, this cut was crafted long before the advent of modern diamond-cutting technology. At the time, diamonds were sourced primarily from the ancient mines of Brazil and India, which is where the name "Old Mine" originated. These gems were cut entirely by hand, as artisans relied on their eyes rather than precise instruments, resulting in diamonds that carried the marks of craftsmanship and individuality.
What makes the Old Mine Cut historically fascinating is that it was one of the first diamond cuts to incorporate all the elements that we now recognize in the modern round brilliant cut. However, it did so in a less standardized, more organic form. Cutters of the era intended these diamonds to glow under candlelight rather than the harsher brilliance seen in today’s electric lighting. This imparted a warm, romantic fire that many believe gives Old Mine Cut diamonds their enduring allure. Jewelers today still describe them as “imperfectly perfect,” prized for their character rather than technical perfection.
The distinct features of Old Mine Cut diamonds contribute greatly to their individuality. Their overall shape is often a soft, cushioned square with rounded corners, differing both from the angular Princess Cut and the symmetry of a Round Brilliant. One defining detail is the larger culet, a facet at the diamond’s bottom, which was left visible and now adds a touch of vintage character. Their tables, or flat top facets, are comparatively smaller, resulting in a richer depth-to-spread ratio and producing a soft, glowing fire rather than intense sparkle. Additionally, because they were cut by hand, Old Mine Cuts often display a lack of symmetry, giving each stone a one-of-a-kind personality.
Did you know -
The largest and most renowned old mine cut diamond in the world is the Koh-i-Noor, whose name means “mountain of light” in Persian.
The Rising Allure
Much like the sapphire engagement ring once worn by Princess Diana, which transformed bridal jewelry tastes for decades, Swift’s vintage-inspired ring has the potential to leave a lasting mark on the industry. Suddenly, an antique diamond cut with roots in centuries past is enjoying a dazzling revival.
On the very day of the proposal, reports showed that online searches for “old mine cut diamonds” spiked by close to 10,000%, a surge that signals the beginning of what could become a long-lasting trend.
The appeal of the old mine cut lies in its heritage and individuality. Each piece carries a personality of its own, making them especially desirable to today’s couples, who often value authenticity and uniqueness above machine-made perfection. More than jewelry, these pieces are seen as heirlooms – symbols of love with a historic soul.
Jewelers have already begun to witness the impact of Swift’s ring firsthand. “Antique cuts also command a premium over modern equivalents, and demand will likely skyrocket in the wake of Taylor’s engagement,” explained Ali Galgano, founder of Serpentine Jewels. She revealed that within 24 hours of the news breaking, she received hundreds of requests from clients wanting vintage-style cushion cuts. Supporting this, Google Trends recorded a 62 percent rise in searches for “vintage diamond rings” in a single week. Pinterest has seen similar spikes, with “vintage cushion-cut engagement ring” searches climbing 175 percent and “vintage wedding rings 1920s” rising over 1,400 percent.
Retailers are also seeing the surge play out. Peter Manka, owner of New York jeweler Ben Garelick, shared that interest in old mine cuts was already growing even before Swift’s engagement, but the announcement has accelerated demand dramatically. Given that most of these stones are sourced from antique jewelry, their rarity only makes them more coveted. Buyers also appreciate the eco-friendly aspect of choosing a reused diamond over one newly mined, aligning with growing sustainable luxury trends.
Photo Credit - Google & Instagram
Social media and media coverage have amplified the ripple effect. Jewelers are leaning into the buzz, spotlighting their own vintage-influenced collections and drawing direct links to Swift’s ring style. Editorial features like “Five Taylor Swift Engagement Ring–Inspired Jewels to Fulfill Your Own Love Story” are gaining traction, inviting shoppers to indulge in similarly romantic designs. Other celebrity engagements featuring vintage rings such as those of Blake Lively and Emily Ratajkowski – have only added momentum to the aesthetic now brought firmly into mainstream consciousness by Swift.
In the end, Taylor Swift’s engagement ring hasn’t just sparked a personal fairytale but also set the stage for an industry-wide revival of antique diamond craftsmanship. The Old Mine Cut, with its signature blend of beauty, irregularity, and history, has emerged as the defining gemstone style of the moment – one where romance is measured not by flawless perfection but by individuality, depth, and character.