SUWA
EMERALD-CUT DIAMOND, Untreated
Quality rough material is especially important
to a beautiful emerald-cut diamond.
The term "emerald cut" came about from the fact that emeralds from Colombia are typically cut in this shape. The columnar, hexagonal Colombian emerald rough crystals yield the most attractive stones and suffer the least weight loss when cut into this shape. The emerald cut is the standard for Colombian emeralds, while rounds and ovals are considered special shapes.

In contrast, it is usually much more cost-effective to cut diamonds into rounds, due to market demand and the nature of diamond rough material. Thus the most common shape for diamonds is the round, and all others are referred to as "fancy" shapes. The diamond rough that emerald cuts are made from is shaped differently from the rough that is cut into rounds, and is limited to high-quality material. Emerald cuts make up less than 2 percent of all polished diamonds. For any type of gemstone, there is a certain amount of rough material suitable for making specific fancy shapes. Yet when demand for a particular fancy shape increases, material that is technically best suited for other shapes will be used, resulting in increased production costs. The main factors in the beauty of an emerald-cut diamond are its transparency and its overall appearance, and the quality of the rough crystal has a direct effect on transparency.
Diamond cutters say that you cannot hide the rough's defects in an emerald cut, emphasizing how a beautiful emerald cut requires high-quality material. This situation is comparable to cooking- no matter how you improvise with cooking methods, you cannot make a tasty dish without quality ingredients.

The photograph to the next page is a 2.02-carat emerald cut diamond with high transparency and strong brilliance. The top portion (crown) of the stone has three steps, and though it cannot be seen in the photograph, the bottom (pavilion) has four steps, all placed in a regular pattern. Unlike rounds or marquise cuts that show a more flashy brilliance, the emerald cut has a characteristically understated and dignified appearance.

The emerald cut was particularly popular in the Japanese market during the 1950s. This probably was because the emerald cut's reserved and deep-seated beauty stands out when worn with the Japanese kimono.
Ring, Platinum
Emerald-Cut Diamond 1pc
2.03ct
Untreated
US $30,000
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