Emerald Cut: 5 Reasons you should Step Cut gemstones for your collection

Big, handsome and subtle… these are some of the ravishing adjectives used by emerald collectors. However, more than the brilliance of the gemstone, it is the way they are cut that makes them so popular. Step-cut or trap cut emeralds gemstone beads are expected to fetch the highest price considering their alluring beauty and per carat weight. Also called Emerald Classics, the step-cut is undoubtedly the first choice for most emerald dealers.

If you are new to gemstone market, here are 5 reasons why Emerald-cut items safest to deal with.

emeralds-gemstone-beads

1.  The most symmetrical cut ever:

The Emerald Cuts are revered for their pristine beauty and symmetry, hard to match by regular cuts like Brilliants and Cushions. The step-cut is made in such a manner that every facet in the gemstone is capable of reflecting light. The cuts are made parallel to the girdle, which means that the gemstone acquire a distinct, flat and uniform table for highest stability.

The facets could be completely squared off or it could be given a slightly truncated edge to ensure that the points of weaknesses are minimized.

2.  Strongest configuration:

The emerald cut gemstones are considered as tough and strong. They don’t chip away easily, especially if they have truncated corners. The stones with hardness less than 7.0 on the Mohs scale are usually given the Step-cut to ensure that the finished item stay intact and never crack or facture along the points of weakness.

Citrine, Diaspore, Tourmaline, topaz, and quartz acquire strength by virtue of the Emerald cut or step-cut done on them.

3.  There is no compromise:

Step-cuts or emerald cut gemstones have long been accused of hiding the brilliance that comes out well when the same gemstone is cut in Round Brilliants or in Heart Briolette shapes.

Heart Briolette

However, this accusation is not entirely true. The step-cut gemstone indeed loss 12-15% of their brilliance over round brilliants; they earn 50% extra strength when compared to the same set of gemstones. In short, emerald and topaz collectors prefer to have a stronger, velvety gemstone than ending up with a weak one.

Hence, there is no compromise as far as cutting a gemstone into steps is concerned.

4.  No heat treatments and dyeing involved:

The emerald cut gemstones with step-cuts can be used for engagement rings, necklace, pendants, earrings, nose ring and bracelets. The talismans and rosaries too have emerald cut gemstones made of tourmaline, garnet, rubies and quartz.

The weight of the step-cut gemstone hovers around 2.3 to 4 carats. They have hardly treated artificially or dyed. Heat-treated Emerald cut gemstones can be easily identified from their purer counterparts, and hence they are least subjected to any artificial treatments

5.  Opaque versus transparent:

The step-cut can be made on any gemstone with hardness above 5.0. The opaque gemstones like black diamond, spinel, lapis lazuli and onyx can be either given a rough step cut or merely placed in the form of a Faceted Nugget. Without the doubt, the faceting with step-cuts is more popular on translucent gemstones than the opaque ones.

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