What Is Baguette Cut?
The baguette diamond cut has a rectangular shape and belongs to the group of the so-called step cuts, which are made with parallel facets arranged in a terrace-like fashion. (Other step cuts include the emerald cut and the Asscher cut.)
Baguette cut diamond
Baguette-cut diamonds usually have 14 facets and come in smaller carat weights than other cuts.
Baguette stones are also cheaper than the more popular round or emerald-cut diamonds.
Browse a large selection of loose diamonds and check their prices.
Baguette Cut and Diamond Quality
Like other step cuts, the baguette cut lacks the brilliance of round-cut diamonds.
Because baguette-cut stones have less sparkle, which can conceal inclusions, flaws in these diamonds are easily visible.
The lack of brilliance in diamonds with this cut also affects their color – if it is lower grade and the stone has some yellow tints, they will be more visible than those in a round stone with the same color grade.
There are not widely accepted standards for what proportions constitute an ideal cut for baguette diamonds (as is the case with other step cuts).
When choosing a baguette diamond, it is recommended to go for shallower stones – all else being equal, they will look larger for a given price.
Total depth is not an important concern for this cut as it is not created to maximize brilliance (which is affected by depth in round stones).
More: See how you can design your own customized diamond ring.
Buying Baguette-Cut Diamonds
Since baguette diamonds are not cut to deliver brilliance or sparkle, they are bought for their luster. They are mainly used as side stones (also called “diamond accents”), not as center diamonds.
Baguette stones are most suitable for accompanying an emerald-cut or an Asscher-cut stone, but other compositions are also possible.
As a side stone, a baguette diamond should match the central stone in terms of color.
Keep in mind that if the center diamond has a brilliant cut (such as the princess cut), its color may look whiter than that of a baguette diamond with the same color grade.
In such a case, you may need to pick a baguette-cut stone that has a slightly higher color quality.
Make sure that the baguette diamonds you choose have a clarity grade that is high enough because this cut makes flaws more visible.
You don’t need to go for the highest clarity, but you should at least ensure that the stone is eye clean, i.e., it doesn’t have inclusions visible with the naked eye.
Where to Buy Diamond Jewelry?
We recommend James Allen (read review) because you can see a 360-degree video for any diamond before buying it.
Blue Nile is another reputable diamond retailer we recommend.
