Welcome back to the Diamonds Hatton Garden blog where we share the latest developments and insights from our Hatton Garden jewellers. In today’s blog we start a new series and look into the history of diamond shapes starting with the historic and beautiful Emerald Cut.
The Emerald Cut diamond is one of the most popular and oldest diamond shapes. Crisp and balanced, the Emerald cut diamond is a versatile shape that works beautifully across a range of jewellery pieces including diamond engagement rings, diamond tennis bracelets and, of course, diamond earrings. The rectangular shape with its beautiful symmetry and straight lines recalls the glamour and style of the 1930s, however the cut itself date backs much longer. In partocular Emerald cut diamond engagement rings have seen a resurgence recently and a poular choice.
What is a “Diamond Shape?
Diamond shape refers to the geometric appearance of a diamond. Diamond shapes are categorised into two groups: round diamonds and fancy shape diamonds. Round diamonds, also known as round brilliant cuts, are the most traditional diamond shape. Fancy shape diamonds refer to any diamond that is not a round brilliant.
The History of the Emerald Cut
The emerald-cut diamond is one of the oldest of all of the diamond shapes and its origins can be traced back over 5 centuries to the 1500s. As the name suggests, the shape was initially devised from emerald gemstones. With the increase in technologies and, of course, popularity the emerald cut began to be used when cutting loose diamonds. The technique in cutting the diamond helped to reduce the pressure during the process and prevented chips in the gems. Diamond cutters took notice of this new shape and soon after began to incorporate it into diamonds as well. The name “emerald cut” was not used until the 1920s with the rise of the art-deco and art-nouveau movements. The symmetry and clean lines of the emerald cut saw the shape become a popular choice for engagement rings and other jewelry pieces.
Characteristics of the Emerald Cut
With its distinctive clean lines and rectangular appearance, the Emerald Cut is a unique fancy shaped diamond that does not look like other cuts. Generally speaking, the Emerald cut has roughly 25 pavilion, 25 crown and 8 girdle, making up 57-58 facets.
In a diamond, the pavilion is the space below the girdle. This part of the diamond’s anatomy is frequently the noticeable “V” shape of the base of the diamond. The pavilion acts “behind the scenes” and is the part of the stone that reflects light back through the crown at the viewer
If we picture the girdle as the widest part, then the portion of the diamond’s anatomy above the girdle is the crown. This is where light enters the diamond and the brilliance begins. The crown of a diamond can greatly affect the diamond’s appearance. The angle of the crown is typically between 32 to 36 degrees.
Girdle is the thin perimeter of a diamond, dividing the crown above from the pavilion below. When viewing a diamond in its setting or from a profile view, the girdle is the widest part (or the circumference) of the polished diamond – the portion of the stone that makes contact with the setting itself.
The combination of the size, angle and shapes of the facets means that the Emerald Cut can sometimes show less dispersion (the way the light enters the diamond and is refracted) than other shapes. However, the wider, flat top of the stone means that the size not only looks bigger than other shapes but that there is still a beautiful shine, fire and sparkle.
An emerald cut diamond engagement ring is a fantastic choice for those looking for a classic yet modern style diamond. Supremely elegant and eye-catching, the diamond suits white metals such as white gold or platinum and can be flanked by a pave setting to showcase this truly wonderful shape.
With over 50 years experience within jewellery, Diamonds Hatton Garden can help you find the emerald cut diamond engagement ring of your dreams. Book your personal appointment today via info@diamondshg.co.uk or on +44 7951 060238.