Baguette Cut Demantoid: more fire in demantoid than in diamond

Brilliance 55 · Fire 81 · Scintillation 43 · in our census, where the T73 scores 97 · 84 · 80 in demantoid

How the Baguette Cut handles light in demantoid, measured: brilliance 55, fire 81 and 31% leakage, set against the T73 in the same stone and against the same cut in diamond.

The Baguette Cut in demantoid, face-up Light Return map from our tracer at refractive index 1.881: red, green and blue show where the light returns from, gray shows where it leaks
Light Return map of the Baguette Cut in demantoid, face-up, from our own tracer at refractive index 1.881. Red, green and blue return light to the eye; gray leaks.

Baguette Cut Demantoid

Demantoid has a refractive index of 1.881 to 1.888 and a dispersion of 0.057. Its critical angle, from the low end of that range, is 32.1°, so a round design needs a pavilion of at least 37.0° for head-on light to reflect off both sides of the pavilion and leave through the table. We trace it with one index, 1.885, the midpoint of the published range, and a fire spread of 0.049, 0.86 of the published dispersion. Every picture here is our Light Return tracer at 1.881, and every figure is from the same light census that scores the other gemstones; the 3D Gemstone Simulator shows the Baguette Cut in demantoid live.

The Baguette Cut has 21 facets and a total depth of 66.8% of its width; its pavilion mains sit at 32.4°. In demantoid, the census returns 55 of 100 for brilliance and 81 for fire, against 97 and 84 for the T73, our benchmark, in the same stone; the same Baguette Cut in diamond reads 40 and 62.

Is demantoid good in a Baguette? Pros and cons, measured

Compared with the T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid and with the Baguette Cut in diamond. A difference counts from 3 points (Brilliance, Fire, Tilt, Leakage), 5 (Scintillation, Symmetry), 4% (face-up size per carat) or 5% (weight); Tilt counts as a pro only for a stone within 5 points of the brilliance it is compared with. How we measure.

All eight scores against the T73

At a glance: the Baguette Cut in demantoid (white) against the T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid (dashed): solid white where it reaches further, hatched where it falls short. Each pro and con is explained, with pictures, below.

Performance wheel: Baguette Cut in demantoid, against the T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid as an outline. Solid white marks where it reaches further, hatching where it falls short. The scores are listed below.50100Global−30Brilliance−42Fire−3Scintillation−37Spread−3Symmetry−61Shape-norm−32Tilt−15

Against the T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid: behind on 8.

  • Global60, the comparison 90, difference −30
  • Brilliance55, the comparison 97, difference −42
  • Fire81, the comparison 84, difference −3
  • Scintillation43, the comparison 80, difference −37
  • Spread97, the comparison 100, difference −3
  • Symmetry39, the comparison 100, difference −61
  • Shape-norm72, the comparison 104, difference −32
  • Tilt64, the comparison 79, difference −15
Face-up light census, a different measure from the Cut Grading Tool; Spread and Shape-norm above 100 sit on the ring. Spread is the census's estimate from depth alone; the face-up size in the pros and cons is measured from each model's outline. Open it in the Cut Performance Wheel; these are the same census figures as our Cut Performance Index.

What the Baguette Cut gains in demantoid

More fire in demantoid than in diamond

Fire 81 against 62 for the Baguette Cut in diamond: 19 points higher

Fire is the share of the returned light that splits into color at the exit facet: the census traces each exit again at the refractive index minus and plus the fire spread (0.049 in demantoid) and counts a ray as fire when the two directions differ by more than 0.6°. The Baguette Cut reads 81 against 62 for the same cut in diamond. The figure is the census's; the 3D Gemstone Simulator renders demantoid's fire live.

The fire figure is the census's, traced at the refractive index minus and plus the fire spread. See the fire in the 3D Gemstone Simulator: the Baguette Cut in demantoid under the sunny-day lighting.

Try it yourself: See the fire in the 3D Gemstone Simulator

Faces up larger for its weight

Face-up size 108 against 100 for the T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid (T73 = 100): 8% more face-up area for the same weight

Face-up size is the outline's area per carat, measured from each model (T73 = 100): 108 for the Baguette Cut against 100 for the T73. The same volume spread over a longer or shallower outline shows more face for the weight; it is the same in every stone, because specific gravity scales every cut alike.

Baguette Cut · 8.11 x 4.11 mm at 1.00 ct · Face-up size 108

T73 Round Brilliant · 6.29 mm at 1.00 ct · Face-up size 100

Both stones weigh 1.00 ct in demantoid and are drawn to the same scale in millimeters, from each cut's own model. Face-up size is the outline's area per carat, with the T73 at 100: a deeper stone, or a rounder outline, spreads less area for its weight.

Try it yourself: See its size at 1.00 ct in demantoid in the 3D Gemstone Simulator

What the Baguette Cut gives up in demantoid

A less regular pavilion than the T73

Symmetry 39 against 100 for the T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid: 61 points lower

Symmetry reads how evenly the pavilion facets of each design family are cut: 100 − 6 × their scatter in degrees. The Baguette Cut reads 39, the T73 100. It depends on the geometry alone, so it is the same in every stone.

Baguette Cut · 21 facets · Symmetry 39

T73 Round Brilliant · 73 facets · Symmetry 100

Symmetry scores how regular the pavilion facets are within the design. Compare how evenly the facets repeat around each pavilion. Drawn from each cut's own model.

Try it yourself: Compare the Symmetry spoke in the Cut Performance Wheel

Returns less light than the T73 in demantoid

Brilliance 55 against 97 for the T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid: 42 points lower

Brilliance is the share of the 3,200 census rays that enter the stone and come back out of the crown towards the viewer. In demantoid, whose critical angle is 32.1°, the Baguette Cut returns 55 of 100 and the T73 97. The Baguette Cut's pavilion mains sit at 32.4°, the T73's at 40.8°. The maps below show where each stone's light returns from and where it leaks.

Baguette cut in demantoid face-up Light Return map: red, green and blue show where the light returns from, gray shows where it leaks (Brilliance 55)

Baguette Cut in demantoid · Brilliance 55

T73 round brilliant in demantoid face-up Light Return map: red, green and blue show where the light returns from, gray shows where it leaks (Brilliance 97)

T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid · Brilliance 97

Red, green and blue = light returning to the eye; gray = leakage, light that leaves heading down or stays inside. This is the head-on view; the Brilliance score averages a wider cone of light, so the score can differ from what one picture shows.

What helps: the DG-Broken Hearts and Arrows reads 97 for brilliance in demantoid, the best of the cuts we score there.

Try it yourself: Open this Light Return map in the simulator

Fewer facets, less sparkle

Scintillation 43 against 80 for the T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid: 37 points lower

Scintillation follows the number of facets the stone shows: 100 × (1 − e^(−facets / 45)). The Baguette Cut has 21 facets and the T73 73, so 43 against 80. It depends on the geometry alone, so it is the same in every stone.

Baguette Cut · 21 facets · Scintillation 43

T73 Round Brilliant · 73 facets · Scintillation 80

Scintillation follows the number of facets: more facets, more and smaller flashes as the stone moves. Compare the facet counts under the drawings; each drawing shows only the crown. Drawn from each cut's own model.

What helps: the DG-Miliano reads 98 for scintillation in demantoid, the best of the cuts we score there.

Try it yourself: Compare the Scintillation spoke in the Cut Performance Wheel

Loses more light when tilted than in diamond

Tilt 64 against 100 for the Baguette Cut in diamond: 36 points lower

Tilt is how much of its face-up brilliance a stone keeps when the census tilts it 20° about its long axis, with 2,200 rays. The Baguette Cut keeps 64 against 100 for the same cut in diamond. The tilt strips below show the maps at 0°, 10°, 20° and 30°, with each picture's own leak share under it.

Baguette Cut in demantoid · Tilt 64

Baguette cut in demantoid tilted 0 degrees: Light Return map, 20% of the face leaking0° · 20% leak
Baguette cut in demantoid tilted 10 degrees: Light Return map, 46% of the face leaking10° · 46% leak
Baguette cut in demantoid tilted 20 degrees: Light Return map, 52% of the face leaking20° · 52% leak
Baguette cut in demantoid tilted 30 degrees: Light Return map, 61% of the face leaking30° · 61% leak

Baguette Cut in diamond · Tilt 100

Baguette cut in diamond tilted 0 degrees: Light Return map, 43% of the face leaking0° · 43% leak
Baguette cut in diamond tilted 10 degrees: Light Return map, 44% of the face leaking10° · 44% leak
Baguette cut in diamond tilted 20 degrees: Light Return map, 44% of the face leaking20° · 44% leak
Baguette cut in diamond tilted 30 degrees: Light Return map, 44% of the face leaking30° · 44% leak
Tilt is how much of its own face-up light a stone keeps when tilted. Each frame is the Light Return map with the stone tilted away from you by the angle shown; gray is leakage. The share under each frame is that picture's own.

What helps: the DG-M5 reads 89 for tilt in demantoid, the best of the cuts we score there.

Try it yourself: Compare the Tilt spoke in the Cut Performance Wheel

Our verdict on the Baguette Cut in demantoid

Pick the Baguette Cut in demantoid for this: it shows more fire than in diamond and faces up larger for its weight. The catch: it has a less regular pavilion than the T73, returns less light than the T73, has fewer facets to sparkle with and loses more light when tilted than in diamond.

If that catch matters more to you, the DG-Broken Hearts and Arrows reads 97 for brilliance in demantoid, the best of the cuts we score there.

Every figure on this page is from our light census, traced at one refractive index: a simulation of the geometry, not a grading report. The 3D files and cutting files below are the same Baguette Cut model we traced.

Baguette Cut Demantoid: questions

Is the Baguette a good cut for demantoid?

In our census the Baguette Cut returns 55 of 100 for brilliance and 81 for fire in demantoid, against 97 and 84 for the T73 in the same stone. Against that round and against the same cut in diamond it has 2 pros and 4 cons by our thresholds; the summary above names them.

What pavilion angle does demantoid need?

At least 37.0° for a round design: demantoid's critical angle is 32.1°, from the low end of its refractive index range, and head-on light has to reflect off both sides of the pavilion and leave through the table. The Baguette Cut's pavilion mains sit at 32.4°.

How much does a Baguette weigh in demantoid?

At 6.5 mm across, 3.98 ct in demantoid, against 3.64 ct for the same cut in diamond (+9%): demantoid's specific gravity is 3.85, diamond's 3.52.

Can I see the Baguette in demantoid in 3D?

Yes: the 3D Gemstone Simulator renders it live, with demantoid's own refractive index and dispersion. Demantoid is traced by the same light census as the other gemstones, with its refractive index and fire spread derived from published values, so its scores are on the same scale; the pictures here are our Light Return tracer, and the Cut Performance Wheel sets it against any other cut and stone.

Get the Baguette Cut files

6 formatsMillimetersWatertight

Baguette Cut 3D files

The Baguette Cut as exact geometry: 21 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
GemCad96 index

Baguette Cut cutting files

The Baguette Cut as a faceting design: 17 + 4 girdles = 21 facets, 96 index, 2-fold mirror-image symmetry, ready for the machine.

  • .ascGemCad design file, 96 index gear
  • .csvTier table: angles, indices and cutting order
  • DiagramPrintable faceting diagram

Save with a bundle: the Baguette 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.

More gemstones and cuts

Demantoid: optical properties and the top ten cuts · The Baguette Cut: specifications, model and files

Other cuts in demantoid

The Baguette Cut in other gemstones