12.06ct Old Emerald Cut Yellow Diamond Ring with Sapphire Barrel Shoulders

Director’s Notes

As its name suggests, the emerald cut was originally developed for emerald gemstones. Emeralds are brittle stones which can easily chip and crack, especially during the cutting and polishing process but also when being set and worn. Therefore, a style of fashioning was developed with cut-off corners rather than sharp pointed corners which helped to protect the most vulnerable points of the stone. Variations of this type of cut were used widely on coloured gems from around the 16th century onwards. The straight facets of an emerald cut are applied in a stepped pattern which means they have a different character to the brilliant cut styles of faceting thereby allowing the colour of the gem to be seen and enjoyed to the fullest without any distraction. It was several centuries before this cut was used on diamonds but during the first half of the 20th century, emerald cut diamonds began to appear and grow in popularity. Their sleek geometric appearance suited the aesthetic of the Art Deco period and the elegant feel of the stones which offered a cleaner icier look than their brilliant-cut sisters were loved by women looking for something a little different. The emerald-cut diamond is however less forgiving than a brilliant cut one in terms of concealing inclusions and hints of colour. Because the style and shape of the facets does not create as much fire and brilliance to distract the viewer, the quality of these stones can be clearly seen and therefore needs to be as good as possible to ensure the most beautiful gem. The earlier emerald cuts that we favour using in our jewellery are typically characterised by large wide-open tables which act as a window into the stone, large cut corners and higher tables and often flat open keels.