Most Colombian emeralds are shaped into emerald cut because of the natural growth patterns from that region.
Round faceted emeralds can demand as much per carat as diamonds.
Think proportion and symmetry when examining a faceted stone.

Although cut plays an important role in determining the value of an emerald, this factor places a distant third to color and clarity in significance. Without getting too involved in the specifics of gem cutting here, there are a few things to keep in mind regarding the cut and style of emeralds.

1. The famous "emerald cut" is either a square or rectangular shaped stone with stair-step facets on all four sides and where the corners have been trimmed off.
2. Even though the emerald cut is most popular, large, high-quality round cuts can be more valuable. This is due to the fact that a round cut demands more precision and it requires that more of the rough stone be lost in cutting. Round emeralds can demand as much as round diamonds.
3. Fancy shapes, like hearts or pears, can be extremely valuable as well, particularly if you want more than one. This is due to the fact that it can take a long time to find matching color and clarity in stones cut in these shapes.
4. Always remember to compare matching cuts with each other.
5. Cutting style can also be determined by the country the stone is from. Colombian crystals tend to grow in hexagonal patterns, hence, they are typically cut emerald styles. While African rough emeralds are more likely to grow into a round shape, making round cutting easier and more efficient.

There are as many cuts and styles for emeralds as any other gemstone. Always make sure to examine each stone for how well it’s cut. Is the crown (top facets) too high or low? Is the culet (bottom point) off center? Is the stone too flat? Is there a big window when viewed from the top (not good)? Ask the jeweler what the depth percentage is (depth/width ratio, between 60% to 80% is good) Feel free to choose whatever style catches your eye. If you happen to like a marquise shape, by all means, get one. You might even save some money because most gem dealers tend to agree that this shape is not the best for emeralds.

Answer to quiz: b