Is the Emerald Cut Always the Best Choice for Emerald Engagement Rings?

The cut of a stone is undeniably important, as it is one of the famous 4 Cs that are used to assess the value and quality of gemstones. The quality of a cut plays an important part in the stone’s overall appearance, which perhaps explains why there are many different types of cuts, including the round, the princess and the oval cuts.

All cuts have their own positive attributes, but what works well for one gemstone does not necessarily have the same effect with another. For instance, diamonds work well with most cuts, but the universally acclaimed cut is the round brilliant which displays a diamond’s natural sparkle of to its best advantage. However, this is not the case when it comes to emerald engagement rings.

Ideally, emeralds should be cut symmetrically with uniform facets that allow for ultimate colour and brilliance. If an emerald is cut too deeply, the light will escape and the emerald will look dull. And if the cut is too shallow, the emerald will lose its brilliance due to light lost at the bottom of the gem. Undoubtedly, the most popular cut for emeralds is the step cut or the trap cut, which has been so universally used for emerald engagement rings over the years that it has been named the emerald cut – even when applied to other gemstones. Most emerald engagement rings will use this cut because it allows for maximum weight retention, an important consideration as a significant portion of the rough crystal usually gets lost in the cutting process. (For instance, the round brilliant cut looses an estimated 50% of the original crystal.) This cut is also perfect for emeralds because it provides a stable form to a relatively soft gem – emeralds only score a 7 on the Mohs scale – and most importantly, it highlights the spectacular colour that these gems are so famous for. However, while this is a great cut for emeralds, it is unsuitable for diamonds as it fails to bring out the fire and brilliance like the round brilliant cut does. This is not an issue for emeralds, as they naturally form with a number of inclusions, and so have nothing to lose in terms of brilliance and fire.

Even though the most popular cut, the emerald cut is not the only one used for emerald engagement rings. Others include the round and oval cuts. These are more expensive and rare as more of the rough crystal is cut away. There are also pear cuts and cabochons, an ancient cut that has a convex, rounded surface which may not be as brilliant as other cuts, but does display a stone’s natural colour.

Frederick Holm writes for the F&L Designer Guides, which hosts a thriving community of independent engagement ring designers in the UK. Inspired by their journey of discovery in search of distinctive, one of a kind emerald engagement rings, F&L now celebrates the works of their favourite designers and helps promote the notion of "Go Bespoke" as a more imaginative and interesting alternative to the limitations of High Street shopping.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.