Hexagon Cut Ruby: six-sided geometry with modest light

Brilliance 64 · Fire 45 · Scintillation 56 · in our census, where the T73 scores 94 · 37 · 80 in ruby

A six-sided cut with a stepped crown: in ruby it holds its light when tipped, but returns about a third less light than a round.

See it in the simulatorGet the files
The Hexagon Cut in ruby, rendered at an angle in our 3D Gemstone Simulator under studio light
Rendered in our 3D Gemstone Simulator from the Hexagon Cut model, 1.00 ct, studio light.

Hexagon Cut Ruby

Six sides, a crown cut in steps and a pavilion cut in tiers: that is the hexagon. Our model is 61.0% deep, with 37 facets and a 29.26° pavilion.

Its pavilion is well under ruby's critical angle of 34.6°. In our census it trails on light, sparkle and leakage, and on fire against the diamond hexagon. It keeps its light well when tilted, which does not count as a pro at this level of brilliance.

The octagon in our library carries the same tier profile on eight sides, and in ruby it returns more light; we compare the two below.

Is a hexagon cut ruby a good idea? Pros and cons

Pros

None by our margins; its Tilt of 98 rests on modest light.

Cons

Compared with the T73 Round Brilliant in ruby and with the Hexagon 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 Hexagon Cut in ruby (white) against the T73 Round Brilliant in ruby (dashed): solid white where it reaches further, hatched where it falls short. Each pro and con is explained, with pictures, below.

Performance wheel: Hexagon Cut in ruby, against the T73 Round Brilliant in ruby as an outline. Solid white marks where it reaches further, hatching where it falls short. The scores are listed below.50100Global−9Brilliance−30Fire+8Scintillation−24Spread0Symmetry0Shape-norm−17Tilt+23

Against the T73 Round Brilliant in ruby: ahead on 2, level on 2, behind on 4.

  • Global70, the comparison 79, difference −9
  • Brilliance64, the comparison 94, difference −30
  • Fire45, the comparison 37, difference +8
  • Scintillation56, the comparison 80, difference −24
  • Spread100, the comparison 100, difference 0
  • Symmetry100, the comparison 100, difference 0
  • Shape-norm85, the comparison 102, difference −17
  • Tilt98, the comparison 75, difference +23
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

What ruby gains in a hexagon cut

The hexagon has no pro by our rules: fire beats the T73, 45 to 37, and brilliance beats the diamond hexagon, 64 to 58, but each score counts once, where its gap is larger, and both land as cons. Tilt is 98 against 75 for the T73, yet a stone returning 64 keeps a large share of a smaller amount, so we do not count it. Symmetry is level, 100. The hexagon's case is its outline: clean lines that tile in clusters and bands.

Where the hexagon falls short in ruby

Barely half the fire of a diamond hexagon

Fire 45 against 85 for the Hexagon Cut in diamond: 40 points lower

The same facets score 85 for fire in diamond and 45 in ruby. Against the round ruby the hexagon still wins, 45 to 37.

Hexagon cut in ruby face-up under a single bright light: a render from our simulator, its coloured flashes are the fire (score 45)

Hexagon Cut in ruby · Fire 45

Hexagon cut in diamond face-up under a single bright light: a render from our simulator, its coloured flashes are the fire (score 85)

Hexagon Cut in diamond · Fire 85

Look at the coloured flashes: those are fire. Same light, same size, same face-up angle; rendered by our 3D Gemstone Simulator from each cut's own model.

What helps: Of the ruby cuts that keep close to the T73's light, the Trilliant Cut Ruby has the most fire, 52.

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

About a third less light than a round ruby

Brilliance 64 against 94 for the T73 Round Brilliant in ruby: 30 points lower

The pavilion sits at 29.26°, below ruby's critical angle, so light dropping straight through the table can leave by the back. Against the hexagon in diamond, the ruby returns a little more, 64 against 58.

Hexagon cut in ruby face-up Light Return map: red, green and blue show where the light returns from, grey shows where it leaks (Brilliance 64)

Hexagon Cut in ruby · Brilliance 64

T73 round brilliant in ruby face-up Light Return map: red, green and blue show where the light returns from, grey shows where it leaks (Brilliance 94)

T73 Round Brilliant in ruby · Brilliance 94

Red, green and blue = light returning to the eye; grey = light leaving through the pavilion. 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 Octagon Cut Ruby, with the same tier profile on eight sides, returns 78. We have not measured a hexagon with a steeper pavilion.

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

Fewer flashes than a round

Scintillation 56 against 80 for the T73 Round Brilliant in ruby: 24 points lower

37 facets on six sides, against the T73's 73, and our scintillation score follows the facet plan.

Hexagon Cut · 37 facets · Scintillation 56

T73 Round Brilliant · 73 facets · Scintillation 80

Scintillation follows the number of facets: more facets, more and smaller flashes as the stone moves. Count the facets in each crown. Drawn from each cut's own model.

What helps: The Octagon Cut Ruby scores 66.

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

About a quarter of the light leaks

Leakage 24 against 5 for the T73 Round Brilliant in ruby: 19 points higher

Close to a quarter of what enters, 24%, goes out of the back; the T73 lets out 5%. In diamond the share is 24%: the hexagon leaks as much in either stone.

Hexagon Cut in ruby · Leakage 24

Hexagon cut in ruby tilted 0 degrees: Light Return map, 23% of the face leaking0° · 23% leak
Hexagon cut in ruby tilted 10 degrees: Light Return map, 26% of the face leaking10° · 26% leak
Hexagon cut in ruby tilted 20 degrees: Light Return map, 29% of the face leaking20° · 29% leak
Hexagon cut in ruby tilted 30 degrees: Light Return map, 29% of the face leaking30° · 29% leak

T73 Round Brilliant in ruby · Leakage 5

T73 round brilliant in ruby tilted 0 degrees: Light Return map, 1% of the face leaking0° · 1% leak
T73 round brilliant in ruby tilted 10 degrees: Light Return map, 10% of the face leaking10° · 10% leak
T73 round brilliant in ruby tilted 20 degrees: Light Return map, 29% of the face leaking20° · 29% leak
T73 round brilliant in ruby tilted 30 degrees: Light Return map, 30% of the face leaking30° · 30% leak
Each frame is the Light Return map with the stone tilted away from you by the angle shown; grey is light leaving through the pavilion. The share under each frame is that picture's own.

What helps: It is the same share at any size. The Octagon Cut Ruby lets out 20%, DG-M5 Ruby 0%.

Try it yourself: Tilt it yourself in the simulator's light map

Who a hexagon ruby suits

The hexagon suits geometric designs, clusters and bands where six-sided stones fit together, and a ruby seen from many angles. It keeps what light it has as it moves; it simply has less than most of our ruby cuts.

For the same geometric look with more light, the Octagon Cut Ruby. If light matters most, DG-M5 Ruby returns more than any other cut we measure in ruby.

Hexagon Cut Ruby: questions

Is a hexagon cut good for ruby?

It returns 64 for brilliance against the T73's 94 and leaks 24% of its light, but keeps it steady when tilted: Tilt 98.

Hexagon or octagon cut ruby?

The octagon returns more light (78 against 64) and leaks a little less; the hexagon has more fire (45 against 33).

Does a hexagon ruby look smaller than a round?

Slightly, per carat: its outline covers 96 against 100 for the T73, measured from the model.

What does a 6.5 mm hexagon ruby weigh?

1.46 ct in ruby at that width; a diamond hexagon, 1.29 ct.

Get the Hexagon Cut files

6 formatsMillimetresWatertight

Hexagon Cut 3D files

The Hexagon Cut as exact geometry: 37 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 modelling and rendering
  • FBXBlender, 3ds Max, Maya, Cinema 4D, Unity, Unreal
  • GLBWeb, AR and quick previews
€9.99 · Personal useBuy the 3D files
GemCad96 index

Hexagon Cut cutting files

The Hexagon Cut as a faceting design: 31 + 6 girdles = 37 facets, 96 index, 6-fold mirror-image symmetry, ready for the machine.

  • .ascGemCad design file, 96 index gear
  • .csvTier table: angles, indices and cutting order
  • DiagramPrintable faceting diagram
€9.99 · Personal useBuy the cutting files

Questions before you buy? Email us.

More gemstones and cuts

Ruby: optical properties and the top ten cuts · The Hexagon Cut: specifications, model and files

Other cuts in ruby

The Hexagon Cut in other gemstones