An introduction to emerald cut diamonds

Emerald cut diamonds are unique, amongst all diamonds. Their unusual cut makes them popular as engagement diamonds, and they are also more affordable than the traditional round brilliant cut diamonds. Emerald cut diamonds can be used alone as a solitaire, or they can be combined with other gemstones. They are used in most types of jewelery, but for especially wedding rings.

What is the emerald cut

Definition As the name suggests, this diamond cut was originally created to cut emeralds. Emeralds are highly-valued gemstones, because of their stunning green colour, but although they are relatively hard stones, they usually have a large amount of natural flaws (called inclusions). The large number of inclusions means that emeralds can break easily, and cutting the stones can be difficult. The emerald cut was developed to make the most of these beautiful gemstones, while making sure that the cut does not damage the stone or highlight its flaws. Later, the same style of cutting began to be used for diamonds. Emerald diamond cut The emerald diamond cut is a rectangular cut, and emerald cut diamonds have long outlines and cropped corners. The ratio between the length and the width can vary, but an ideal ratio is between 1.4 and 1.6.

Tips for buying emerald cut diamonds

The highest grade of diamond When shopping for an emerald cut diamond, it is even more important than usually to buy the highest grade of diamond that you can afford. Clarity of the stone The emerald cut emphasises certain aspects of the stone. The long facets highlight the clarity of the stone, which makes it very important to choose a diamond with good clarity (more than VS2).
Flaws in the gemstone
In emerald cut diamonds, the flaws in the gemstone are more visible, and it is easy to notice if the stone has been poorly cut. If you buy a low-grade emerald cut diamond, you do not have to be a professional jeweller to notice that it is low grade or that the cut is bad. Affordable prices Fortunately, emerald cut diamonds are more affordable than the traditional round brilliant cut diamonds or even other diamond cuts. Even a large emerald cut diamond is generally much cheaper, than a round brilliant cut diamond of the same weight. To put it simply, if you buy an emerald cut engagement ring, you can afford a bigger diamond. However, you must always buy the highest grade that you can afford.