Emerald Cut Diamonds

With its emphasis on clarity and colour, the Emerald Cut has a pure, stark beauty quite unlike any other cut. It was hugely fashionable during the Art Deco movement when its parallel lines and uncluttered appearance complemented the strong, sleek designs of the time.

Emerald Cut Diamond (Top View)

Emerald Cut Diamond (Side View)

SLEEK AND SOPHISTICATED

Square is the new Round

Brilliant styles such as the Round Brilliant and Princess Cut are currently experiencing a surge in popularity, allowing the elegant Emerald Cut to become somewhat neglected. However, many recently engaged celebrity couples have opted for an Emerald Cut stone, hinting at a growing desire for a sophisticated vintage look.

Because it’s currently not as popular as the Round Brilliant or Princess Cut, an Emerald Cut diamond can be bought at a much lower price, making it an excellent choice for those looking for a large diamond on a budget.

We Say

Emerald Cut diamonds are less forgiving than the brilliant styles. Any inclusion or hint of colour will be magnified through its broad facets so choose high colour and clarity grades and a Good to Excellent polish.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS AND GRADING

Emerald Cut diamonds are one of a family of step cuts, which are defined as stones with square or rectangular outlines whose facets are rectilinear and parallel to the girdle. Step cuts often have clipped corners. Emerald Cut diamonds don’t have a culet; instead, there is a keel which, like the keel of a boat, runs parallel to the longest edge of the stone and is the point where the two sides of the base meet.

Emerald Cut diamonds typically have 57 facets: 25 on the crown, 8 on the girdle, and 24 making up the pavilion. The table is a flat rectangle with rows of facets ‘stepping down’ from it.

Emerald Cut Diamond (Top View)

Emerald Cut Diamond (Side View)

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Traditionally, the ideal length to width ratio for an Emerald Cut is 1.50. However, there’s a growing trend for lower ratios which give the stone an almost square outline.

GRADING

Currently, there aren't any universally accepted standards for grading the cut of Emerald Cut diamonds so certifying laboratories don’t do it. Instead, it’s down to individual retailers to evaluate the quality of the cut for this shapes. 

We've developed our own criteria to provide consistent cut grading for all the Emerald Cut diamonds we offer. These take into account factors such as table and depth percentage, polish and symmetry, and length to width ratio.

Refer to the table below to see how we grade Emerald Cut diamonds.

BACKGROUND AND HISTORY

As the name suggests, the Emerald Cut was originally developed for cutting emeralds. With numerous naturally occurring inclusions, emeralds are easily damaged in the cutting process, so a cut with long, simple lines and truncated corners was needed to minimize chipping. The broad facets also allowed for greater depth of colour in emeralds and similar gemstones.

Following the introduction of the cubism art movement in 1925, jewellery styles started to reflect the geometric shapes and angular patterns we now associate with the Art Deco period. Gems were increasingly cut into triangles, pentagons and trapezoids, and step-cut styles such as the Emerald Cut made a refreshing change from the flowing, feminine, lacy designs popular around the turn of the 20th Century. 

STYLE GUIDE

Emerald Hita Diamond Ring in 18K Yellow Gold

Diamond Set Emerald Jiya Diamond Ring in Platinum

Emerald Beau Diamond Ring in 18K White Gold

Emerald Nara Diamond Ring in 18K Rose Gold

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Emerald Cut diamonds flash as they catch the light, rather than sparkle, making them the perfect choice for those who favour understated style. Suits lovers of vintage design and sophisticated elegance. A popular option for mature women who might not feel comfortable wearing one of the more sparkling cuts.

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Length to Width Ratio

Long, narrow Emerald Cuts (with a ratio higher than 1.75) can flatter short fingers, whilst a squarer outline (with a ratio lower than 1.25) will suit long, slender fingers.

Setting

Emerald Cut diamonds can make stunning solitaire rings. They also often form the centrepiece of multi-stone settings. When choosing stones to accompany an emerald cut, avoid anything too sparkly which will make the central stone look dull. 

Emerald Cut diamonds require a minimum four-pronged setting. For an Art Deco feel opt for a vintage style setting.