Gemstone Cuts

Gemstone Cuts

A well cut gemstone, may not cost more but, is an object of beauty. The cut adds to the beauty of a stone by reflecting light evenly across its surface area when held face up. If the stone is too deep and narrow there will be dark areas while if it is too shallow and wide, parts of it will be washed out and lifeless. The best way to judge a cut is to compare similar gemstones next to each other.

• Marquise: The marquise is oblong and pointed evenly on the top and the bottom
• Pear: The pear, looks like an upside down pear, rounded on one end and pointed on the other
• Heart: A heart is cut like a heart
• Oval: An oval is cut into an oval
• Cushion: A cushion cut is a rectangle or square with rounded corners.

An experienced and reputable cutter will always emphasize the stone’s colour and brilliance, and minimize its flaws. Sometimes there will be a lot of weight loss in the stone due to this aim to achieve this perfect cut. Jewellery manufacturers want standard sizes and shapes for mass production, so many cuts have become commonplace.

Gemstone Cuts