The European cut diamonds are the predecessors of the modern round brilliant cut. These diamonds feature a full 58 facets, a high crown, large culet and deep pavilion; however these diamonds were still being cut by hand, so the symmetry of the facets is often imperfect. Similar to the old Mine cuts, except that the European cuts are round rather than squarish in shape; both of these diamond cuts were the standard for diamond cutting until they fell out of favor during the 19th century due to the advent of better cutting technology.
See Also: Rose Cut, Mine Cut, Round Brilliant