7 Things You Need To Know About Baguette-cut Diamonds
Baguette-cut diamonds are among the most popular shapes for diamonds because they look so beautiful, are extremely durable and will last a lifetime.
As the global diamond market grows, you need to know the facts about baguette-cut diamonds because these stones are becoming increasingly popular. The demand for them is expected to continue growing.
In this article, you will discover the true secret behind the famous "Baguette-Cut" diamond: the ratio of total weight to surface area (the size) of the gemstone. You will learn what makes them beautiful and why they differ from the most popular diamond cut, the round brilliant.
1. What Are Baguette-Cut Diamonds?
Baguette-cut diamonds are diamonds cut into an elongated rectangular shape. They have step cuts with parallel linear facets running along the sides of the stone. The corners are often, but not always, cut diagonally to prevent damage from impacts. If the corners are squared off, they can be vulnerable to damage because even though diamonds are very hard, they can be chipped or fractured. Many baguettes are channel-set, protecting the corners of the gemstone.
A baguette-cut diamond does not have the sparkle and fire of the more commonly found brilliant-cut diamonds. Still, you get a sophisticated vintage style that exudes class in exchange.
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2. The History Of Baguette-cut Diamonds
Baguette-cut diamonds are among the oldest diamond shapes, going back to the 1500s. The shape was derived from the hogback, a shape often used by wealthy people to create monograms or jewellery utilising the owner's initials.
When the baguette cut was created, the brilliant-cut style that has become the norm today was impossible to make. Diamond cutting technology was not advanced enough to develop and polish the multiple facets that a brilliant-cut diamond requires.
The baguette-cut became popular because the shape reduced the likelihood of damage while cutting, and, of course, the shape looks beautiful! The flat surfaces give diamonds a superb shine that is very distinctive to their shape. The real beauty of the baguette-cut is found in the large flat top facet called the table.
Modern baguette-cut diamonds have between 15 and 24 facets; this varies slightly according to the needs of the diamond cutter and the original diamond.
The heyday of the baguette-cut diamond came during the early 20th century from 1912 and was popularised by jewellers such as Harry Winston and Cartier.
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3. What Can You Do With A Baguette-cut Diamond?
Baguette-cut diamonds are classified as 'fancy shape' diamonds. They are a member of the step cut groups of diamond shapes. They are versatile and are used for different purposes in all types of fine jewellery.
Our designers often use small diamonds as accent stones in rings in a channel setting. In this application, they give a marvellous contrast with a brilliant-cut centre or central diamond.
Larger baguette cuts look great in pendant necklaces and earrings where they can be used as the main diamond in the piece.
In engagement rings, a solitaire baguette-cut diamond gives an unusual but very sophisticated look that flatters shorter fingers as the shape tends to emphasise the length of the wearer's fingers.
Look out for baguette-cut diamonds in designs with three-stone and simple channel settings. In the latter, they can give the effect of a single larger diamond from a short distance.
In short, baguette-cut diamonds are very versatile in the ways they can be used and in a well-designed jewellery piece will always add to the beauty of the piece.
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4. Baguette-cut Pros and Cons
Of course, just as with any other diamond shape or cut, baguette-cut diamonds have advantages and disadvantages.
Pros of baguette-cut diamonds
The shape tends to elongate the wearer's finger.
The shape can appear larger than other diamond shapes of the same weight due to the proportions. Baguette-cut diamonds have less height than, for example, a round brilliant-cut stone.
They are less commonly bought than some other shapes, making any piece of jewellery look a little unusual. You will stand out a little more when you wear jewellery made with baguette-cut diamonds!
Cons of baguette-cut diamonds
This shape is not as brilliant as other cuts because the angles f the facets do not reflect light in the same way. On the other hand, baguette-cut diamonds have a high shine unique to the shape.
Because of the large flat table (top) surface, they are prone to showing internal imperfections. This is much less of an issue in diamonds used as accent stones but is a point to be aware of where you are choosing a piece with a baguette-cut diamond as the centre stone.
This shape needs to have excellent cut quality, colour and clarity to make the most of the piece of jewellery into which it is mounted. Our artisans and designers are careful to ensure that the diamonds we use are of the right quality and colour to ensure a lifetime of delight!
5. Baguette Diamond Cut Quality
The cut of the diamond is the most critical factor in selecting a baguette-cut diamond. Look out for diamonds graded as Excellent or Very Good. This will ensure that the diamond has excellent symmetry. If the lines are not perfectly aligned, the diamond will always look slightly wrong and distract from the beauty of the jewellery. Choose a diamond with a symmetry grading toward the higher end of the grading scale.
Unlike many other diamonds, the girdle of the diamond should be in the range of medium to slightly thick. This will give a diamond not at risk of cracking or chipping.
Check the ratio of length to width. Ideally, go for a diamond with a ratio of 1:5 length to width. For rings, you could look at a ratio of 1:5 to 1:1.75 if you prefer a longer stone that will better enhance the length of the wearer's finger.
Remember that while all baguette-cut diamonds are rectangular, not all rectangles are the same, so choose a diamond that looks good to your eyes!
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6. Diamond Quality And Baguette Cuts
Diamonds are graded according to the 4Cs of cut, colour, clarity, and carat weight. We have already described what to look for in terms of cut quality, but the other aspects also need to be considered.
Colour: Because baguette-cut diamonds have large facets with a large table, the colour needs to be as clear and white as possible. The larger the diamond, the higher the colour grade needs to be. Depending upon the gemstone's size, G or better will be appropriate.
Clarity: This shape has large facets meaning that the diamond cutter cannot easily hide any internal imperfections. Look out for diamonds with a clarity grade of VS2 or better. Of course, this is less of an issue in small accent stones. The larger the diamond, the better, the higher the clarity grading needs to be.
Carat Weight: The weight of the diamond has less impact on the visual size than it does on other diamond shapes. This is due to the proportions of the shape. When comparing different pieces of jewellery with baguette-cut diamonds, look at the visual sizes of the diamonds rather than the carat weight as we view the beauty of the diamond based on how it looks rather than how much it weighs! The baguette cut is relatively thin with a large surface area, and so it will tend to look bigger than other shapes of the same carat weight.
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7. Baguette-cut Diamonds At All Diamond
At All Diamond, we love the sophistication that baguette-cut diamonds have. We cannot ignore the fact that they also look larger than other shapes, so we can recommend them when you want a diamond that looks large relative to its cost!
Discover more about baguette-cut diamonds in our detailed article here.
Please check out our collections of fine diamond jewellery using baguette-cut diamonds. We have pieces that use these beautiful rectangular diamonds as accent and centre stones. When you choose a ring with baguette-cut diamonds, look out for matching earrings, bracelets and necklaces, as this is a great way to build up a sophisticated overall look. If you have not thought about this style before, we think you will be surprised by the beauty on display!
