Gemstones Cuts, Shapes and Sizes - A guide to the look of a Gemstone
Gemstones are available in a range of shapes and cuts. The journey of a gemstone before it reaches the gleaming shelves of a jeweller is remarkable. First, miners collect rough specimens from natural gem sources all around the world. The core areas of the rough cut are then selected for faceting. Next, the lapidary (gem cutter) must choose which form would best emphasise the gem's sparkle, brightness, colour, and quality before it is cut. So are you ready to discover everything there is to know about gemstones cuts and sizes?
A gemstone that has been cut and polished keeps in mind the accurate angles and proportions of cutting, which brings out the gemstone's life, fire, and brilliance. The beauty of a particular cut can be observed by examining the type of the cut and the symmetry and polish on the crown, pavilion and girdle portion of the stone.
A few standard styles of cuts and shapes are as follows:
Faceted Gemstones Cuts: Containing flat polished surfaces. The crown, pavilion, and girdle of such a stone can be used to characterise it. The cut quality may be determined by inspecting the facets (size, form, symmetry, and polish), the cutting angles, and the girdle shape perfection.
- Brilliant/ Emerald Cut: The slanted facets of brilliant gemstones cuts are triangular or kite-shaped.From the top, the Emerald Cut is formed like a rectangle, with trimmed edges and 50 facets where light bounces brilliantly between the step-cuts. This cut was created to enhance the purity and colour of the emeralds since the colour tends to shine clearly with this cut.
An emerald cut may be particularly brilliant with lighter coloured stones, with broader and spectacular light flashes. This cut eventually became well-known for diamonds and other jewels. Gemstone jewellery enthusiasts were especially captivated by this distinctive new style, as its elongated shape appears extremely attractive on rings.
- Step cut: One or more inclined facets' edges parallel the girdle edge.
- A mixed cut combines brilliant and step cuts.
- Cushion cut (Antique): The cushion cut has a basic square form with slightly rounded edges (similar to a couch cushion) that emphasises the shine and brilliance of the raw stone. This cut, formerly known as the "Old Mine Cut" or "Old European Cut," has roughly 64 facets. Because of the tenderness that the cut evokes, it is also known as a "Pillow Cut."
Cabochon Cut: A cabochon cut gem is a polished but unfaceted stone cut in a convex form. A cabochon, often called a "cab," has a flat bottom and a slightly rounded top. This cut is traditionally oval in shape, although any shape may be cut into cabochon style.
The name is derived from the French word "caboche," which means "head." Gemstones that have been formed and polished "en cabochon" (in the style of a cabochon) date back to the early Judaic, Greek, and Roman periods. This was the only gem cut available for a long time, other than utilising the gemstones cuts in its native form. Even though most jewellers now prefer faceted forms for their gems, some gemstones, such as opal, moonstone, rose quartz, agate, turquoise, and jade, are still cut in cabochon.
Pear Shape: The classic yet modern pear form dominates jewellery trends. A pear cut adds length and elegance to the finger by having a rounded bottom half and a pointed top tip. In this royal design, translucent stones such as diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires look especially beautiful.
The Marquise cut: The marquise cut is also referred to as the 'navette cut,' is designed with 57 facets to reflect the majority of the light and provide maximum sparkle and colour depth. Perfect symmetry for the two ends is vital while constructing this cut to ensure the stone fits appropriately in the setting to reduce potential chipping or breakage.
Baguette-Cut: Baguette gemstones cuts have been used in engagement rings by fashion stars Grace Kelly and Amal Clooney. This rectangle-shaped gemstone with 20 facets glows nicely with a centre stone since it is timeless and elegant.
Princess cut: The second most popular cut after the Round Brilliant cut is square and contains between 58 and 76 facets that bounce light off wonderfully, giving it the most sparkle shape. It's also known as a "square brilliant" since it's a square variation of the Round Brilliant cut. Again, light, translucent gemstones bring out the most remarkable aspects of this design. The princess gemstones cuts keep over 80% of the raw gemstone, whereas the round cut gem only retains 50%, making the princess cut an attractive choice for both clients and gem cutters.
If you would like to order custom-crafted gems from the best lapidarist's around the globe, then please don't hesitate to contact Iris Gems!
