Emerald Cut Diamond: Buying Guide
Suppose you’re after a unique and timeless piece of jewellery. In that case, emerald-cut diamonds serve as an alternative to a traditional round-cut diamond, all while offering elegance and sophistication to your jewellery collection. Emerald cut diamonds are instantly recognizable by their elongated, rectangular shape and ‘step cut’ facets that provide a ‘hall of mirrors’ effect.
Loose emerald-cut diamonds are the perfect centerpiece for most types of jewellery, from earrings or necklaces to captivating emerald-cut engagement rings.
What is an Emerald-Cut Diamond?
Emerald cut diamonds have a long rectangular shape and parallel facets, offering a more distinctive appearance than other types of diamonds. They are renowned for their retro aesthetic and bursts of light because of their linear, straight facets. An emerald-cut diamond typically has its corners trimmed to increase stability and avoid fractures.
Emerald cuts are frequently employed to display value because their big, open facets make the color of the stone appear more clearly. Embellished with emerald-cut diamonds, celebrities who want to show off their wealth usually do so.
A wide surface table and deep clarity are features of the emerald-cut diamond. The diamond offers many reflections of both white and colored light because of its lengthy step cuts. Although they are also available in squares, emerald cuts are more noticeable in rectangles.
Unlike the sparkle you would expect from rounder diamonds, an emerald cut offers reflections of white and colored light for a more subtle shimmer. They come in square form as well as the more common rectangular shape.
Best Colour Grade
Emerald-cut diamonds frequently show their color clearly due to their large, open facets. However, you should bear in mind that color evaluation is subjective, and your acuity would differ from another person’s.
In order to see no yellow tinge in your diamond, if you are a color-sensitive person, you might want to consider a higher color (D-G).
A lot of buyers choose emerald-cut diamonds because of their timeless appeal. If you are someone who loves vintage-style jewellery, it is perfectly fine for you to go down to J or even K colors where the diamonds show a warm tint.
Best Clarity
Large stepped surfaces on emerald cuts can make even the smallest body flaws in the diamond visible. Due to the nature of their step-cutting style, they have less brilliance and scintillation and generally require a higher clarity rating to stay eye-clean.
In general, I would recommend VS2 clarity as the “Goldilocks” rating to get an eye-clean diamond without having to pay the premium for higher clarity grades. But do take note that as you go larger in carat size, you will need a higher clarity grade for the diamond to stay eye-clean.
The bottom line is that you need to exercise caution when buying emerald-cut diamonds of a lower clarity grade.
No matter where you purchase it, you must examine the diamond under magnification in impartial, neutral lighting. As much as possible, I also recommend inspecting the diamond from as many angles as possible to check for eye cleanliness.
Best Emerald Cut Engagement Ring Settings and Designs
Although emerald cuts go well with many different styles, they really shine in settings that are more understated.
Solitaire Setting
The center of the diamond is held in place by tiny prongs that protrude from the ring band in a solitaire setting, a traditional design choice for an emerald-cut ring.
Three-Stone Setting:
A three-stone setting involves two diamonds or gems on either side and an emerald cut stone in the centre, as the name suggests. Due to the extra sparkle on either side of the diamond, a three-stone setting is a way to add more carat weight and value to the ring.
Halo Setting:
If you want to add more sparkle to the ring, you could choose a halo setting, which offers small accent stones around the diamond cut centre stone—perfect for those looking for extra glamour.
East West Setting:
An east-west setting is a great way to go for the unexpected if you're looking to break with tradition! The diamond's appearance is changed by this setting because it rests horizontally on the band.
Bezel Setting:
A bezel-style emerald cut engagement ring is resurfacing as a desirable ring characteristic for modern brides.
Emerald Cut Diamond Special Consideration: Length, Width, and Depth Ratios
An emerald-cut diamond can appear longer or more square depending on the length-to-width ratio. Generally, ratios of 1.45 to 1.55 are the most popular for emerald-cut diamonds. You can, however, get an emerald-cut diamond that is longer or more square-shaped if you prefer. The length-to-width ratio of an emerald diamond doesn’t affect its beauty, only its shape. So, browse a bit and decide which length-to-width ratio you like best.
The depth ratio of an emerald-cut diamond, however, does influence its aesthetic appeal. For the most brilliant emerald-cut diamond, look for a depth percentage of 60% to 70% of the diamond’s width.
Emerald-Cut Diamonds Cost
Compared to round diamonds, the price of emerald-cut diamonds is generally 20-30% cheaper, and they can give you a bigger bang for your buck. According to the 4Cs (carat, cut, color, and clarity), the price of a diamond can vary depending on its characteristics.
A diamond with higher construction and specs will undoubtedly cost more money. The pricing chart above shows that there might be a big variation between the upper-tier and lower-tier grades.
When buying emerald-cut diamond for an engagement ring, most people have a limited budget to work with. One error that most novices commit is assuming that a D/IF diamond will appear better than an eye-clean G/VS2 diamond.
The distinctions between color and clarity gradings are, in reality, modest and primarily technical. In the face-up aspect, a G/VS2 diamond would aesthetically resemble a D/IF. This means that if you don’t need a symbolic D/IF clarity, you can save a lot of money simply by being practical and buying a diamond with lower color and clarity ratings.
Conclusion
Diamonds with an emerald cut have an attractive form and distinctive step cuts. For those seeking a larger-appearing diamond without paying a high price, emerald cuts are a fantastic option.
Because emerald-cut diamonds require careful observation of cut quality, we suggest having an expert review your diamond before purchase. Here at V. Jayantilal & Co., we offer designer, high-quality diamond jewellery at a revolutionary price.
