While most brides eyes are drawn to round brilliant diamonds for their incredible sparkle, emerald-cut diamonds have a more subtle flash of color.
Better yet, emerald cut diamonds are much cheaper than the popular round diamond. By choosing an emerald-cut diamond , you could save 30% or you can pick a larger center stone for the same price! With these fancy cuts, you can find that perfect engagement ring without breaking the bank.
The primary difference between emerald cuts and princess cuts is the shape. Traditional emerald cuts are elongated rectangles with the corners cut out. Princess cuts are square versions of emerald cuts with truncated corners. This gives them an almost octagonal shape.
Emerald-cut diamonds have a hall of mirrors effect, and their elongated shape looks very appealing on the finger. Additionally, emerald-cut diamonds appear much larger but can't mask inclusions.
How to Judge Step-Cut Diamonds
The cut quality of step-cut diamonds, like emerald cuts, is more subjective than it is for round brilliants. While round brilliant cuts are carefully cut to provide the most sparkle, step cuts reflect broadly, and a number of different angles can create a beautiful pattern of light.
Length-to-Width Ratio
The length-to-width ratio (L/W) can affect the appearance of emerald cut diamonds. We prefer a L/W of 1.3 to 1.6.
Depth
Unlike round diamonds, the depth and angles in step cuts are less important. Instead, for step-cut diamonds, always look for a shallow cut diamond. Diamonds with more depth will 'hide' their weight. In other words, deeper diamonds look smaller than shallow ones!
So, its best to keep the total depth percentage at 68% or under.
Window/Table
Again, there are no firm requirements when it comes to table size. The table is the large window on top of the diamond that provides a way for eye to look into the stone.
While its best to avoid particularly large tables, as these can affect diamond performance. Tables under 70% will help you find a good diamond.
Polish and Symmetry
Polish and symmetry of good or better is the best as you�ll never know the difference!
Clarity
Unlike brilliant cuts, step cuts do not hide imperfections. Make sure to look for imperfections under the table of the stone, as these are often visible to the eye.
VS2 clarity grade are almost always eye-clean and less expensive than higher clarity grades.
For larger emerald-cut diamonds (>3 cts), keep in mind that the imperfections in a VS2 stone may be more visible.
To ensure an eye-clean clarity, check out the lab report for diamonds inclusion.
Color
Fancy cuts also tend to show more color than round brilliant diamonds. For emerald-cut diamonds, an H color diamond will appear white.
If you want a custom made engagement ring with a halo, side stone, or three-stone setting, try to match the side stones in color grade.
Where Should I Buy Emerald-Cut Diamonds?
If you are buying an emerald-cut diamond online, always buy from a well-known vendor and review their return and exchange policies. For these cuts, its essential that you can review the clarity imperfections not just from online photos but see how the diamond performs. We offer high-quality, close-up 360-degree videos of their diamonds.
Our diamond experts also review your choices with you. They will help you determine if the stone is eye-clean and whether it has surface-reaching imperfections that can weaken the stone.