All diamond engagement rings are beautiful. But what makes one a little prettier than the others is the way it looks, its intricate metal works, and the stone patterns—all of which are highlighted by their settings, like the emerald-cut diamond settings that you will find a lot of in this article.
But to know how and why, requires an understanding, or refresher, of the words comprising the term emerald cut diamond setting.
Best Emerald Cut Diamond Settings
Diamonds are classified, and rated, according to GIA’s 4Cs: clarity, color, cut, and carat. Of the four, the cut describes a diamond’s shape and facets—the things that make a stone sparkle and produce ‘fire.’
There are about five popular diamond cuts in the market. One of them is the emerald.
What is an Emerald Cut Diamond?
An emerald cut diamond consists of 57 facets and an elongated rectangular-shaped table with cut-off corners. Because of the way it is cut, it exposes more areas of the stone to the beholder. And its facets not only produce exquisite brilliance and sparkle but also flashes of light.
The emerald cut diamond has deep clarity and a large table surface. And its long step cuts give off abundant reflections of white and colored light. It makes you feel like having bought an expensive diamond at a much lesser price.
Are emerald cut diamonds cheaper?
Yes, they are cheaper compared to diamonds with fancy designs. The design is simpler and uses more of the rough stone. It requires less precision-cutting, resulting in a huge reduction in its manufacturing cost.
Cut ratio for emerald cut diamonds
This is the ratio between the length of a diamond vs width. It is important because it affects how a stone reflects light and gives off brilliance.
So what is the best ratio for an emerald cut diamond?
Typically, it is 1.40. But there is no hard and fast rule. It depends on personal preferences. You can go down to as low as 1.30 or go as high as 1.50.
Emerald cut diamond clarity
Emerald cut diamonds don’t hide inclusions as well as other cuts. And because its design shows a lot of a stone’s real estate, inclusions and imperfections may be more obvious.
So, what clarity should an emerald cut diamond be? To appreciate the inherent beauty of its design, VS2, VS1, or higher diamond clarity grades are best for this type of diamond cut.
What is a Ring Setting
A setting is the manner by which a gemstone is set or mounted onto a metal band. Though the term ‘setting’ commonly refers to the entire metal band, specifically, it is ‘mounting’ or ‘head,’ which means the part of the ring that holds the center stone firmly in place.
The purpose of the setting is to highlight the beauty of the diamond or the gemstones that sits on it.
There are numerous emerald cut diamond designs available in the market. This, not to mention that you can have your own customized design. In fact, you can buy entire ring mountings for emerald cut stones—if you have an experienced jeweler to mount the stone for you.
How to Choose an Emerald Cut Diamond Setting
Should you opt for any of the various emerald-cut diamond settings, remember these simple tips:
Right mounting
Having the right mounting is just as important as selecting the right diamond or gemstone because all eyes are drawn to it.
The right mounting highlights the gem or gems on your fiancee’s finger and enhances the stone’s carat size, color, and clarity.
On the other hand, an unbalanced, or improper mounting will stand out like a pimple on smooth skin.
Attachment method
Attachment is the way the gemstone is placed on the mounting, or ‘head.’ Most gemstones are centrally placed between symmetrically-placed prongs, like the Tiffany setting. But there are other settings that may be more appealing to you.
Whatever attachment method you choose, be sure it is firm and secure to protect the diamond from loss or damage. At the same time, it should be sized enough to show as much of the gem, not overshadow it, like that in a bezel setting.
Light exposure
The kind of mounting you choose should expose the gem to as much light as possible, like the solitaire setting.
Some settings, like the bezel or channel, shrouds the stone with lots of metal. While they may not be the best emerald-cut diamond setting, they are perfect in hiding inclusions and imperfections of lower-quality stones.
Metal
The type of metal used for emerald-cut diamond settings dramatically affects an engagement ring’s appearance. Its color must reflect well or match that of the gemstone.
And it must be strong enough to support the stone and withstand daily wear and tear. In this regard, platinum, titanium, and tungsten are the best candidates. While silver and low-carat gold are the weakest.
For example, while a perfectly colorless diamond looks gorgeous in any kind of metal, those in the lower color grade may look dull if mounted in yellow gold. In cases like this, most jewelers use platinum because it provides a perfect balance between appearance, strength, and cost. However, there are a number of settings for this metal. So, be sure to choose the best platinum setting for your ring.
How Do You Set an Emerald Cut Diamond?
This is an excellent question which only an expert jeweler can answer. But most emerald cut diamond settings use the four prongs method to hold the gem firmly. For larger stones, 6 to 8 prongs are the best as an added security against the diamond falling off.
Best Emerald-cut Diamond Settings
Emerald cut diamonds are the most popular cut for engagement rings. They look classy, sophisticated, yet they are very affordable. Also, they make the center stone look bigger than they actually are.
So, how do you set an emerald cut?
There are several ways to do it, all belonging to two general categories: Generic and variations.
Regardless of category, they are all breathtaking and commanding. They exhibit a luxurious display of light due to their linear, straight facets. But they do have their own pros and cons.
Generic
These settings for the basis of the variations and are meant to display the lustrous brilliance and dazzle of emerald cuts.
Prong Setting
The prong setting is an iconic setting design first introduced by Tiffany and Co. in 1886. Since then, it has become the favorite of couples shopping for engagement rings.
Prong setting typically consists of four or six prongs that extend from the mounting up to partly enclose the gem, keeping it securely and safely in place
Emerald cut diamonds are not the most brilliant and dazzling diamond cut there is but prong settings allow maximum light entry into the stone and reflect it back. In the process, it adds depth and dimension to the stone.
Pros
- It highlights and enhances the diamond
- Makes the diamond look larger
- Provides good stone security
- Easy to clean and maintain
Cons
- Prongs can get snagged
- They wear out over time
- Once they do, the risk of the stone falling out, getting loose gets higher
Halo Setting
This is the type of setting where a ring of small accent stones, typically pavé diamonds, encircle a larger stone.
The accent stones can be of the same shape as the center stone or different, like that of a cushion-cut halo encircling a round center stone.
Emerald cut gemstones are stunning in a halo setting. They add an extra touch of sparkle that emphasizes the beauty of the center stone. Even if the center stone is smaller, it will still appear bigger because of its surrounding stones.
Halo settings provide a buffer around the center stone, hence, protecting it from damage.
Pros
- The center stone is highlighted by the accent stones
- More sparkle and brilliance
- Makes the center stone appear larger
- Accent stone offers protection against impact
- Cost-effective
Cons
- Cleaning and maintenance is difficult
- If not properly secured, small accent stones may fall off
Three-stone Setting
The three-stone setting features an emerald-cut diamond center stone sandwiched by two accent stones to signify past, present, and future. Others take it to represent love, friendship, and fidelity.
Depending on your style and values, all three stones can all be emerald cut diamonds of equal sizes or have the center stone bigger than the rest. Or you may even want to use other colored gemstones to sit on both sides of your diamond center stone.
This setting design is a newcomer in the engagement ring business having been introduced into the market in 2001 by De Beers – and took the jewelry world by storm.
On top of being so adorable, three-stone settings are steeped in symbolism and meaning.
Pros
- It can use smaller diamonds
- Meaningful and symbolic
- Offers more personalization options
- Perfect for large/wide fingers
Cons
- More difficult to clean and maintain
Variations
These settings are mostly adaptations of the generic settings. While they do not diminish the beauty of the emerald-cut, they offer different options to regular settings that may be too good to miss.
Note: Since they are generic variations or adaptations, the same pros and cons of the parent designs apply.
Solitaire
As the name implies, the solitaire setting like the one in Diamond Nexus review only carries one stone, which is fixed and secured in place by four prongs or more.
This setting draws people’s attention to the stone, nothing else. For this reason, it is best to have a center-stone with high clarity and almost flawless.
And to make your center stone even look bigger, choose a ring with thin prongs. This will allow a bigger stone area for light to dance and play around.
However, since the diamond sits higher above the rest, the risk of the stone getting snagged on something, or being chipped is very real. Extra care is needed when wearing a solitaire.
Pavé
The word originated from the French word ‘paved,’ to describe a surface paved with stones, which is how a paved setting looks like.
A pavé setting, which you’ll find in this Smyth Jewelers review, consists of very small gemstones set tightly close together to make the surface look continuous and monolithic. They have been popular for quite some time now because they add a beautiful dimension of sparkle and texture to the ring.
They catch more light and obviously give off more sparkle to your engagement ring. And many small stones are more cost-effective than one large stone.
Baguette
A baguette-cut diamond is similar in a lot of respects to an emerald cut. The only difference is in how the corners are cut. Baguettes have sharp corners while emerald cuts are wedged. However, both offer flashes of light and plenty of fire.
Of course, this setting requires the skill of a master jeweler. And he or she may have a problem in sourcing baguettes because they are not as popular as emerald cuts.
East-West
If you want to be truly unique, try the east-west setting.
This is another variation of the prong setting where the longer side of the emerald-cut diamond is vertical to the axis of the ring band instead of horizontal. This setting is unique and incredibly timeless.
Bezel
In a bezel setting, the diamond center stone is held inside a thin custom-made metal rim that envelops the periphery of the stone.
A bezel setting is the most secure way of keeping the center stone in place. It protects the diamond, yet shows off its glamourous beauty. It is durable; allows you to wear your ring anywhere.
While it may perfectly outline the geometric shape of the diamond, it also hides a huge portion of it. And that’s a big downside to the bezel setting. Only the table of the stone can be seen.
Split-shank Band
A split-shank band engagement ring has a thin set of two, three, or four bands that beautifully spread out as they near the center stone. And these bands unite to become one band at the bottom of the ring—usually underneath the ring finger.
This artful setting creates space between the stone and the band, making it stand out as if floating on air. It simply looks adorable and charming.
Emerald-cut diamonds, aside from their mundane purpose of firmly and securely holding the stone in place, serve a more noble purpose—to highlight the beauty of the center stone. They help you determine which type of diamond suits you best.
While some settings are fancy and eye-catching, others are timeless and iconic. Emerald-cut diamonds may not be the best diamond cut there is. They display flaws and are not as sparkly as brilliant cut diamonds. But they remain the classic shape favored by movie stars.