Cut
The quality of the cut plays an important role in assessing a stone's value, but it is not an exact science. There is no single cut that is valued more than another, but well cut, matched pairs and sets will cost more because of the difficulty in finding and cutting multiple stones to match not only in color, but size and overall appearance.

Different gemstones may sometimes have certain cuts associated with that gem. For example, you will often see diamonds in a round brilliant cut or a princess cut. Emeralds are no different in that regard, with the emerald cut being by far the most common. There are reasons for this, as you will read about in the next paragraph. But overall, the most common cuts in which you will find emeralds are: emerald cut, round and oval cuts, pear or teardrop cut, and cabochon. To a lesser extent you will find princess cuts, brilliants, trilliants, and various fancy cut variants to include hearts and carvings. Some of these cuts are rather self-explanatory, so we'll only comment further on those that are not as obvious.

The emerald cut may be square or rectangular in shape and is easily recognizable by its shape, large face, and chopped corners. It is used so often for emeralds that it took its name from them. A big reason why emerald cuts are so common for emeralds is that it yields more saleable product from the rough crystal. This is an important consideration because a significant portion of the rough crystal is already lost in the cutting process... Approximately thirty percent. When this cut is used on any other gemstone, it is still referred to as an 'emerald cut'.

Cabochon is an ancient cut that has a convex, rounded surface that is polished. Finer stones are not often cut in the cabochon style, but do turn out to be quite elegant when they are. Cabochons are not as brilliant as other cuts, but instead project a quiet, tasteful beauty that features the stones natural color. Other gemstones use the cabochon cut more frequently with great results. Notable examples are: cat's eyes (chrysoberyl), star rubies and sapphires, many opaque stones such as opal, turquoise, and moonstone.

Fancy cut is a term that may be used to describe custom carving-type cuts or non-typical cuts which would often be used for custom settings. Gem cutters, will inevitably cut unusually shaped stones to make the most of the gem crystal they have to work with. But for a dealer, carrying a large inventory of unusually cut stones is probably unwise. If a client plans to make a custom piece of jewelry, it may be unlikely that the design could incorporate the fancy cuts you'd have on hand. Because there will inevitably be these fancy cut stones produced and with perhaps a much less predictable demand, the prices of these stones will often be lower than if they were cut in the typical shapes. Herein lies opportunity. A savvy buyer, who may be looking create a custom-made piece, could find some real bargains. They would just have to be willing to work with what's available.