Gemstones Making the Cut
Once, long, long ago, choosing a gemstone was relatively easy. The king or queen decided upon the particular stone and went in search of it. Way back then, they did not concern themselves about all of the 4 C’s—well, maybe three of the four. But even for color, clarity and carat weight these early gemstone seekers were pretty much at the mercy of nature itself. The challenge was in finding exactly what they wanted. How things have changed!
These days, technology may have eliminated many of the challenges faced long ago, but has created a new one: the cut. When it comes to gemstone cuts it seems that the number of choices is limitless, and therein can be the problem. How do you decide which cut will get the most out of your stone?
Because of natural growth patterns and crystalline structure, most gemstones lend themselves toward one or more particular cuts. With aquamarine, the preferred cut is emerald because the parallel facets showcase the stone’s clarity, which along with color is one of its treasured features.
By definition an emerald cut is rectangular in shape, generally with the portion of length to width being 1.5 to 1. Sometimes, however, you will find emerald cuts that are more evenly proportioned or almost square. In addition to the classic rectangular shape, each of the four corners is cut, resulting in an eight-sided stone. As for the facets, these are step cut into parallel lines.
But not all emerald cuts are the same. With aquamarine, the preferred cut will have the crown, the top portion of the gem, cut at a relatively high angle in order to intensify the stone’s color.
So, when choosing the perfect stone, consider the importance of cut. Even if you end up going with one of the more innovative cuts created by modern day lapidaries, you want to make sure that the best features of your aquamarine will be showcased.
