Gemstone Cuts

There are several ways to cut a polished rock and turn it into a gemstone. Below is a list of the most common cuts and how to know what to look for. This won't make you an expert but you will be able to tell a round from an oval. Usually the number of cuts, called facets, determines the price. A few definitions are in order:

Facet: the cut portion of the gem.
Girdle: the sides of the gem
Pavilion: the part of the gem above the setting
Crown: the top of the gem

The various cuts:

Round: The most expensive cut stone. This is often used for engagement rings.

Princess: This cut may have 50 facets, 21 crown, four girdle and 25 pavilion or 58 facets, 21 crown, four girdle, 33 pavilion. This is the smallest of the shapes of the same carat weight and tends to be the most delicate.

Oval: The more cost efficient cut because you get more stone by carat weight than the round and still maintain the normal 58 facets.

Emerald: This form of design allows for less brilliance but larger facets. These are called step cuts and reveal mirror like qualities.

Marquise: The name is derived from the legend of the Marquise of Pompadour and it is said the sun king wanted a stone cut into the shape of the mouth of the Marquise. This provides a much larger stone at a normally lower cost.

Trillion: This is a relatively new type of cut. It is designed as a triangle with equilateral sides.

Baguette: Most stones cut in this step fashion are used as side stones. The corners are not beveled as in the emerald cut.

There are other cuts but these are the most common ones you will find in ring settings.

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