Gemstone cutting is an art form that dates back thousands of years. The way a gem is cut can transform a rough stone into a dazzling jewel, enhancing its beauty, brilliance and value. With advancements in technology and craftsmanship, there are now many different gemstone cuts, each with unique characteristics and appeal.
This guide to the different gem shapes explores the styles and names of gemstone cuts, explaining what makes them special. Whether you prefer classic elegance, modern geometry or something in between, there’s a stone cut shape that will speak to your style.
Classic Cuts
Classic gemstone cuts have stood the test of time, remaining popular for centuries due to their timeless elegance and versatility. These cuts feature a balance of brilliance and fire, with faceting patterns that maximize light return and create a dazzling display. Classic cuts work well in various settings and styles, making them a go-to choice for many jewelry lovers.
Classic stone cut shapes include:
- Round brilliant: The most well-known classic cut, the round brilliant features 58 facets arranged in a specific pattern to maximize the right reflection and sparkle. This cut is the gold standard for diamonds but also looks stunning on colored gems.
- Princess cut: The princess cut is a square shape with pointed corners, offering brilliance similar to a round brilliant but in a more modern geometric silhouette. It’s a popular choice for engagement rings.
- Radiant cut: The radiant cut is a bright and elegant square or rectangular stone cut shape with trimmed corners. It looks beautiful in both diamond and colored gemstone varieties.
- Oval cut: The oval is an elongated round gemstone cut that has classic charm with a slight contemporary twist. It can create the illusion of a larger stone and works well on fingers of all shapes and sizes.
- Pear cut: Also called a teardrop cut, the pear cut has one pointed end and one rounded end. It makes a striking solitaire style and can also be used in unique multi-stone designs.
Step Cuts
Step gemstone cuts feature long, linear facets that resemble steps, creating a clean, sophisticated look. Rather than prioritizing brilliance, step cuts emphasize a gem’s clarity and luster. They have a more subdued sparkle than brilliant cuts, but their mirror-like facets can create dramatic flashes of light. Step gemstone cuts are perfect for gems with excellent clarity, as their large open facets will showcase any inclusions.
The most popular types of step cuts include:
- Emerald cut: The emerald cut is the most famous step cut, with a rectangular shape and cropped corners that emphasize the gem’s clarity and color over its sparkle. Its large open table is perfect for showcasing high-quality stones.
- Imperial cut: The imperial cut is a square or rectangular cut similar to the emerald cut. The difference between imperial cut and smooth cut stones is that imperial gemstone cuts feature more facets, creating additional brilliance and fire.
- Asscher cut: The Asscher cut is a square version of the emerald cut with a distinctive “hall of mirrors” effect when you peer into the stone. This vintage cut saw a resurgence in popularity in the early 2000s.
- Baguette cut: These long, thin stones are most often used as accent side stones, but they can also create a sleek art deco look as a solitaire or eternity band. Baguette gem cuts also come in tapered styles.
- Square cut: The square cut is a simple square shape with minimal facets, similar to the emerald cut. Its understated style appeals to those with minimalist tastes.
Mixed Cuts
Mixed cuts combine the sparkle of a brilliant cut and the elegance of a step cut to create unique types of gem cuts with the best of both worlds. These hybrid designs offer something exceptional for those who want a stone that stands out from the crowd.
Examples of mixed cuts include:
- Cushion cut: The cushion cut is a square or rectangular shape with rounded corners and a brilliant cut crown paired with a step cut pavilion. This antique style has a romantic feel. It is common in vintage jewelry and a favorite for colored gemstones.
- Ceylon cut: The Ceylon cut features a step cut pavilion with a brilliant cut crown, maximizing the color of a gem while adding some extra sparkle. It is commonly used on sapphires and other richly hued stones.
- Octagon cut: The octagon cut is an eight-sided shape that blends step cutting on the crown with brilliant cutting on the pavilion for a unique look. It’s sometimes used as a more affordable alternative to the emerald cut.
Fancy Cuts
Fancy stone cuts feature playful, unexpected silhouettes that express individuality and personal style. These cuts venture outside traditional shapes, offering unique outlines and faceting patterns. They can be inspired by classic, mixed or step cuts and often feature a mixture of different gem cuts.
Some common fancy stone cut shapes include:
- Heart cut: The ultimate symbol of romance, the heart cut is a sentimental choice for pendants, rings and earrings. Achieving a perfectly symmetrical heart shape requires great skill.
- Marquise cut: The elongated marquise cut features two pointed ends and creates the illusion of a larger stone. It can be worn traditionally in a north-south orientation or turned east-west for a more modern look.
- Trilliant cut: The trilliant cut, also called trillion or trillian cut, makes an excellent side stone or a unique alternative solitaire style. Trillions can have straight or curved sides.
- Hexagon cut: With its six straight sides, the hexagon cut feels equally classic and contemporary. It has a similar look to an emerald cut but with more geometric flair.
- Scissor cut: The crisscross facets of a scissor cut create a mesmerizing “X marks the spot” pattern that’s sure to turn heads. This cut looks particularly stunning in step cut designs.
- Firework cut: As the name suggests, the firework cut has an explosive sparkle thanks to its numerous scattered facets. It is one of the very rare and unusual gemstone cuts that are perfect for those who want to stand out from the crowd.
Specialty Cuts
Thanks to advances in gem-cutting technology, lapidaries are creating stunning specialty and modern cuts. These cutting-edge designs showcase the creativity and skill of contemporary gem cutters. Specialty cuts often have unique faceting patterns or stone profiles.
Specialty gemstone cuts include:
- Briolette cut: Often used in beaded jewelry or as pendant drops, the briolette cut is a pear-shaped or oval cut with triangular facets and no table. It’s cut in the same style as round brilliant for amazing sparkle.
- Cabochon cut: Rather than facets, the cabochon cut has a smooth, polished dome that’s perfect for displaying opaque and translucent gems like opal, moonstone and turquoise. It’s also a popular cut for phenomenal gemstones.
- Barion cut: The barion cut takes fancy shapes like pear or marquise and adorns them with a round brilliant cut pavilion for maximum brilliance. The result is a dazzling hybrid cut.
- Sugarloaf cut: The sugarloaf cut is essentially a faceted cabochon with a domed top and large, steep facets. It originated in Brazil and was often used on large aquamarine and other pale stones.
- Checkerboard cut: The checkerboard cut has a mesmerizing crisscross pattern that creates a checkerboard optical effect. It’s most commonly used as a crown on other types of gem cuts, like cushion cuts.
- Portuguese cut: One of the most complex gemstone cuts, the Portuguese cut has multiple tiers of one-of-a-kind mixed faceting that create incredible depth and dimension within the stone.
- Braided cut: Braided cuts have an interwoven texture that gives gems an airy, lace-like appearance. The facets are cut finely to create this unique look.
Buy Gemstone Jewelry and Loose Gemstones From The Vault Jewelry and Loan
No matter your style or budget, The Vault Jewelry and Loan makes it easy to find the perfect loose gemstone or jewelry. With seven locations in Virginia, we offer an outstanding selection of different gem shapes, cuts, colors and sizes, as well as fine jewelry at lower prices than retail stores.
Our knowledgeable staff provides exceptional service to help you find the ideal stone cut and design, whether you’re looking for a classic oval cut diamond engagement ring, an art deco baguette cut eternity band or a one-of-a-kind briolette cut pendant. All our items are fully insured for your peace of mind.
Shop our stores for the best deals on stunning gems and jewelry, or contact us to discover the perfect gemstone cut for your style.
Jamie Furman
James (Jamie) F., is the manager of our Centerpointe Way location in Woodbridge, VA. With over 14 years in the pawn business, he is an expert in Diamonds, Gold, and Luxury Watches. He is fluent in Spanish and English and enjoys helping customers’ find the item they want at a great deal. Banks and Big Box stores have convinced many that new and expensive is the only way to buy. He aims to change that paradigm and provide exceptional service and quality products at a bargain price to every person who walks through our doors.
