Balancing the 4Cs for an Emerald Diamond.
As with any diamond shape, you should always be mindful of finding the right balance of characteristics that optimizes for the best looking and high quality diamond. As a reminder, the 4Cs are color, clarity, cut, and carat.
- Color will define how white or warm your diamond appears.
- Clarity refers to the degree of internal and external inclusions that a diamond has.
- Cut refers to a diamond’s angles and proportions and in turn how it can reflect and capture light. This will define how brilliant and sparkly your diamond is.
- Carat is a measurement of weight, but not necessarily how big in size a diamond looks.
Generally, the higher on the scale you go for color, clarity, and carat, the higher the value, and the price! Depending on the type of shape and each individual stone, keep in mind that there are some characteristics that should be prioritized over others when you’re being mindful of your budget.
In this article, we’re breaking down the best options for your emerald cut diamond.
The cut of an emerald is called a step cut. This faceting gives emeralds a “hall of mirrors” effect, which means that you can see most inclusions from every angle.
Because of the unique faceting, one C that you should definitely prioritize is a higher grade for clarity. Having less facets means that there are less places for those inclusions to hide. A VS1 clarity or higher is recommended, but jewelers can sometimes find an eye clean VS2 or even SI1. Assuming you want the diamond to be clean to the naked eye, it’s better to go higher on clarity.
Color is a characteristic that you can compromise more on with an emerald cut diamond because they mask color better than other cuts. This means you can go lower on the color scale before noticing a yellow color. We recommend anything in the colorless to near colorless range (D-J). But you can sometimes find a white facing K or L grade diamond.
With emerald shaped diamonds, most people will consider a higher carat weight when possible because they are typically a bottom heavy shape. This means they face up smaller than other diamond shapes with similar carat weight.
The characteristic that will actually affect the perceived size of your emerald is the length to width ratio. You could have two stones with the same carat weight, but differing ratios will cause them to look completely different. For a classic ratio, also known as a “tennis court” ratio, choose a diamond with a 1.3-1.4 ratio. For something elongated, try on a 1.4-1.55 ratio. This tends to accentuate the length of your finger. Under a 1.3 ratio, the look of the diamond is more square.
Emerald cuts are an amazing choice if you love a classic cut. Our website has great examples of how emeralds can be set and styled with bands.
When you’re ready to see a few diamond options IRL, head over to our website to schedule an appointment in-store or virtually.
