0.50 ct Emerald Cut Solitaire, F VS1

0.50 carats, emerald cut, GIA certified F colour and VS1 clarity, set on 18K white gold.

An emerald cut is a step cut, and it does not sparkle. That is not a fault; it is the point. Where a brilliant is faceted into dozens of small triangles and kites that scatter light into rapid flashes, a step cut has long parallel facets cut in tiers, like the treads of a staircase running around the stone. Those planes reflect each other and the world beyond them, so light returns in broad slabs rather than in points — the effect the trade calls a hall of mirrors.

The consequence is that everything shows. A brilliant’s scintillation is very good at hiding inclusions and colour tint; an emerald cut is a window straight into the stone. Two facts follow. Emerald cuts of the same grades cost less than rounds, because the cut wastes far less rough. And they need higher grades to look their best, which erodes some of that saving. VS1 and F here are chosen with that in mind — clean enough to look into, colourless enough for a white mount.

Lighter step cuts with pavé: 0.30 ct D VVS1 and 0.36 ct D VVS1.