Cuts · Jewelry cuts

Emerald Cut

3D model and faceting diagram · 57 facets · 8.47 x 5.65 mm

The emerald cut: a rectangular step cut with cropped corners and a long, open table. The cropped corners protect a brittle stone at its weakest points. That is how the cut got its name.

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About the Emerald Cut

The emerald cut: a rectangular step cut with cropped corners and a long, open table. The cropped corners protect a brittle stone at its weakest points. That is how the cut got its name.

Step facets show color and clarity plainly, so it is a common choice for fine colored stones and clean diamonds.

Emerald Cut specifications

Measured from the delivered model, not quoted from a standard.

CategoryJewelry cuts
Facets57 planar facets (49 + 8 girdles = 57)
OutlineLength to width 1.500
Total depth68.6% of width
Crown angle (main)37.0°
Pavilion angle (main)41.0°
Reference size8.47 x 5.65 x 3.88 mm at 1.52 ct in diamond
Volume86.34 mm³
Cutting file accuracyEvery crown and pavilion facet within 0.003° of the 3D model (average under 0.001°); girdle facets within 0.024°
Index gear64
Symmetry2-fold mirror-image symmetry
Tiers9 crown, 8 pavilion
FilesSTEP, 3DM, STL, OBJ, FBX, GLB, GemCad .asc, tier table, diagram

Face-up and profile

Face-up: the crown facets, drawn from the model's own edges.
Profile: 68.6% total depth.
Light Return map of the Emerald Cut in diamond: a computed render showing direct, indirect and contrast light across the face-up stone.
Light Return map of the Emerald Cut in diamond. A computed render of the model's geometry, not a photograph.

How the Emerald Cut performs in seven gemstones

The Emerald Cut performs best in cubic zirconia, where its brilliance and fire together are highest: 59 for brilliance and 92 for fire. Its brilliance peaks in ruby and sapphire, at 65, and its fire peaks in moissanite, at 95. In diamond it scores 55 for brilliance and 87 for fire, against 93 and 78 for the T73 benchmark. Its scintillation, 72, comes from its pattern of facets, so it is the same in every stone.

Brilliance, fire and scintillation of the Emerald Cut in seven gemstones, out of 100, with the T73 Round Brilliant benchmark in each
GemstoneBrillianceFireScintillation
Diamond55 (T73 benchmark 93)87 (T73 benchmark 78)72 (T73 benchmark 80)
MoissaniteHighest fire51 (T73 benchmark 86)95 (T73 benchmark 97)72 (T73 benchmark 80)
Cubic ZirconiaBest overall59 (T73 benchmark 98)92 (T73 benchmark 87)72 (T73 benchmark 80)
RubyHighest brilliance65 (T73 benchmark 94)47 (T73 benchmark 37)72 (T73 benchmark 80)
SapphireHighest brilliance65 (T73 benchmark 94)47 (T73 benchmark 37)72 (T73 benchmark 80)
Emerald58 (T73 benchmark 78)36 (T73 benchmark 39)72 (T73 benchmark 80)
Amethyst53 (T73 benchmark 72)32 (T73 benchmark 36)72 (T73 benchmark 80)
Score out of 100T73 Round Brilliant, our benchmark, in the same stoneBest overall: the highest brilliance and fire together

Brilliance is the share of face-up light that the stone returns. Fire is the share of that light that splits into color. Both come from our face-up light census. Scintillation is the sparkle that the facets give as the stone moves, and we read it from its facets. They are the same figures as the Cut Performance Wheel, where you can compare the Emerald Cut with any other cut. A simulation of the geometry, not a grading report.

Head-on reflection, critical angle and weight in each stone

The same geometry behaves differently in every material. Light that meets a pavilion facet at less than the critical angle of the stone does not reflect. It passes straight out of the back and shows face-up as a window. For each stone, we measured how much of the pavilion of this model, seen face-down, is steeper than that angle. We also measured what the model weighs at its reference size.

A window in the pavilionOne pavilion facet in amethyst, critical angle 40.4 degrees, with light that comes straight down. The gray wedge around the facet normal holds the directions that leave the stone. A facet steeper than the critical angle reflects the light. A shallower facet lets most of it out of the back, which shows face-up as a window.Facet steeper thanthe critical angleThe facet reflects the lightStoneAirFacet shallower thanthe critical angleIt goes out of the back: a windowStoneAir
A window in the pavilionOne pavilion facet in amethyst, critical angle 40.4 degrees, with light that comes straight down. The gray wedge around the facet normal holds the directions that leave the stone. A facet steeper than the critical angle reflects the light. A shallower facet lets most of it out of the back, which shows face-up as a window.Facet steeper thanthe critical angleThe facet reflects the lightStoneAirFacet shallower thanthe critical angleIt goes out of the back: a windowStoneAir
Head-on light in amethyst: a steep facet reflects it, a shallow facet lets it out of the back.
StoneRefractive indexCritical anglePavilion reflecting head-on lightWeight at this sizeVerdict
Diamond2.41724.4°100%1.52 ctHolds head-on light
Moissanite2.648 to 2.69122.2°100%1.39 ctHolds head-on light
Cubic Zirconia2.15 to 2.1827.7°100%2.50 ctHolds head-on light
Ruby1.762 to 1.77034.6°100%1.73 ctHolds head-on light
Sapphire1.762 to 1.77034.6°100%1.73 ctHolds head-on light
Emerald1.577 to 1.58339.4°100%1.17 ctHolds head-on light
Amethyst1.544 to 1.55340.4°100%1.14 ctHolds head-on light

Head-on light, first reflection. The 3D Gemstone Simulator traces the full Light Return in each of these gemstones.

Available in…

The Emerald Cut stone by stone: what each gemstone gains and loses in this cut, measured.

Emerald Cut 3D model

Grade the Emerald Cut in 3D

Open it in the 3D Gemstone Simulator. Set its carat, color, clarity and cut grade in any of seven gemstones. Turn it under ten kinds of light, and watch its 3D gemstone report change as you go. Free, in your browser.

Emerald Cut: questions

What files come with the Emerald Cut 3D model?

Six formats. STEP is the exact faceted solid for CAD, and 3DM is for Rhino. STL and OBJ are meshes. FBX is for Blender, 3ds Max, Maya, Cinema 4D, Unity and Unreal. GLB is for the web and AR. All are in millimeters at real-world scale, with 57 planar facets.

Is there a faceting diagram for the Emerald Cut?

Yes. The cutting files contain a GemCad .asc design (49 + 8 girdles = 57 facets, 64 index, 2-fold mirror-image symmetry) and a printable faceting diagram. They also contain a tier table in CSV, with the angles, indices and cutting order.

Does the Emerald Cut work in sapphire, emerald or amethyst?

We measured the pavilion of this model against the critical angle of each stone. In Diamond, Moissanite, Cubic Zirconia, Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Amethyst, the whole pavilion reflects head-on light.

How accurate is the Emerald Cut cutting file?

We check it facet by facet against the 3D model that it was written from. Every crown and pavilion facet within 0.003° of the 3D model (average under 0.001°); girdle facets within 0.024°. The angles are the ones you set on the machine. The 3D model is the same stone that you render or set.

How big is the Emerald Cut model, and what does it weigh?

The model measures 8.47 x 5.65 x 3.88 mm, which is 1.52 ct in diamond. At the same size, it weighs 1.39 ct in moissanite, 2.50 ct in cubic zirconia, 1.73 ct in ruby, 1.73 ct in sapphire, 1.17 ct in emerald, 1.14 ct in amethyst. You can scale it uniformly to any size: the weight follows the cube of the size.

Weight follows the cube of the sizeA small cube, and a cube twice as long, twice as wide and twice as deep. The large cube holds eight small cubes, so it weighs eight times as much.One size1 × the weightTwice the size2 × 2 × 2 = 8 × the weight
Weight follows the cube of the sizeA small cube, and a cube twice as long, twice as wide and twice as deep. The large cube holds eight small cubes, so it weighs eight times as much.One size1 × the weightTwice the size2 × 2 × 2 = 8 × the weight
Twice the size holds eight times the material, so it weighs eight times as much.
Can I 3D print or cast the Emerald Cut model?

Yes. The mesh is watertight and manifold, with outward normals and no duplicate vertices, so it prints and casts without repair. Use the STEP file when you need the exact faceted solid in CAD.

More jewelry cuts

Get the Emerald Cut files

6 formatsMillimetersWatertight

Emerald Cut 3D files

The Emerald Cut as exact geometry: 57 planar facets, real-world scale, ready for CAD, rendering, printing and casting.

  • STEPExact faceted solid for CAD
  • 3DMRhino, closed mesh on its own layer
  • STLWatertight mesh for printing and casting
  • OBJMesh for modeling and rendering
  • FBXBlender, 3ds Max, Maya, Cinema 4D, Unity, Unreal
  • GLBWeb, AR and quick previews
GemCad64 index

Emerald Cut cutting files

The Emerald Cut as a faceting design: 49 + 8 girdles = 57 facets, 64 index, 2-fold mirror-image symmetry, ready for the machine.

  • .ascGemCad design file, 64 index gear
  • .csvTier table: angles, indices and cutting order
  • DiagramPrintable faceting diagram

Save with a bundle: the Emerald Cut 3D files are also in Jewelry Essentials 3D, 10 cuts for €29.99 until 1 December, then €39.99 (€99.90 as single files). Buy the bundle.

Save with a bundle: the Emerald Cut cutting files are also in Faceter's Classics, 10 cuts for €22.49 until 1 December, then €29.99 (€69.90 as single files). Buy the bundle.

Not sure the files open in your software? Get the cube free: the same six formats, for your email address, used only to send them (privacy).

Questions before you buy? Email us.