Emerald-Cut Diamonds

Today's Lauren B Diamond Difference is about an often requested topic that we have yet to cover in full detail; emerald-cut diamonds. This shape is by far one of the most elegant diamond cuts; because of its step-cut faceting, it gives an off understated brilliance with large flashes of sparkle coming from its long/linear faceting pattern. While other shapes come in and out of fashion, emerald cuts are like the steady horse in the race that will always have a timeless appeal.  As far as ring designs emerald cuts are quite versatile but most clients prefer them in our non-halo designs; either in our delicate micro pave settings or as the centerpiece in a three-stone combination.

Proportions

We are going to first focus on proportions and have prepared these four emerald-cut diamonds each weighing around 3 carats to use as examples (make sure to watch the above video for visual representation!).  Of course, everyone can have their own preference as to how your diamond should look however, there are certain guidelines to consider; especially for emerald cuts. You will hear us mention in the above video the length to width ratio quite often and this is simply taking the millimeter height measurement of the stone from top to bottom and dividing that by the millimeter width measurement of the stone from side to side.

Follow along in the above video as we take a close look at these four emerald-cut diamonds. You can see right away that although the emerald-cut diamonds are similar carat weights they all look quite different and it all boils down to how they are cut.  

First up, (3.04 e-vs2) The stone on the far left is what we like to call "no man's land". It’s not square enough to be considered an Asscher cut and not long enough to have that classic emerald cut appearance. This stone has a length to width ratio of around 1.15:1.

Next, we have a stone that is what we consider to be the classic emerald-cut shape.  This stone has a ratio of 1.35:1 which is usually the perfect middle ground for most clients. As you can see compared to the previous diamond it has a much more graceful appearance and what you would imagine an emerald cut diamond to look like. Because its facets are longer it will give you the large flashes of sparkle the emerald cut is known for.

The third stone is what we like to call an "elongated emerald-cut diamond".  It is still within the acceptable range of length to width ratios and comes in at around 1.47:1.  This kind of diamond is very well cut and is the perfect option for someone who wants more finger coverage while still maintaining the overall emerald cut appearance.  As you can see compared to the previous stone both are beautiful and extremely well cut; the decision between these two is just a matter of preference and we would not say one stone is "better" than the other.

Finally, we have a very skinny emerald cut that almost looks like a baguette.  This stone has a length to width ratio of almost 1.6:1, which is well above what you should be aiming for in an emerald cut diamond. While at first glance it may seem larger than the others, it is actually too narrow and does not allow the stone enough surface area to really sparkle.  The facets are very condensed and you do not get that true emerald cut shine.

Clarity & Color

While on the subject of emerald cuts we are going to quickly dive into clarity and color. Because emerald cuts have an open table and step-cut facets certain inclusions that are in the center of the stone can easily be seen without magnification. This is why it is important to mainly focus on diamonds with grades of VS2 or better to ensure your diamond is eye-clean.  For color, you can be more lenient as the saturation is harder to detect due to that same step cut faceting. The stone on the left is a "D" color while the stone on the right is three grades lower at "H" but it is not something that most observers can detect right away. For that reason, we recommend anywhere from J color and above for emerald cuts as a safe area to be in.

As you can see there are a lot of different factors to consider when shopping for an emerald cut diamond.  That wraps up our LB Diamond difference segment and if you are searching for the perfect emerald cut engagement ring do not hesitate to contact us at Lauren B!

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