Cuts & Settings
Cuts and settings turn gorgeous jewelry into personal expression. Find a shape that suits your style, then scroll down to learn about settings that best complement your favorite stone.
Cuts
The way a gemstone is cut can maximize its sparkle and beauty.
| Cut | Picture | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Round | ![]() |
The most popular gemstone cut, characterized by exquisite fire and brilliance. Accounts for 75% of all gemstone cuts today. |
| Princess | ![]() |
A relatively new cut with a square or slightly rectangular shape. |
| Emerald | ![]() |
Also known as a "step cut," these rectangular gemstones have a clean, modern look. |
| Cushion | ![]() |
One of the most brilliant cuts available, the cushion cut has deeper facets and rounded corners, making its fire even more evident. |
| Asscher | ![]() |
This antique style of cut has stepped facets and cropped corners like the emerald cut with the shape of a princess cut. |
| Oval | ![]() |
Evenly cut and perfectly symmetrical, the oval cut has the fire of a round cut in an elongated package. |
| Marquise | ![]() |
Created to mimic the gorgeous smile of the Marquise de Pompadour, this cut has tapered ends and a lean center. |
| Pear | ![]() |
A combination of the oval and marquise cuts, these teardrop-shaped gems make wonderful side stones, pendants and earrings. |
| Radiant | ![]() |
Radiant cuts meld the brilliance of round cuts and the shape of princess cuts, maximizing fire with their many facets. |
| Heart | ![]() |
A lovely cut that is essentially an upside-down pear cut with a notch in the top. |
| Trillion | ![]() |
This triangular-shaped cut varies between traditional straight lines to more rounded edges. Works beautifully as a side stone or in solitaire earrings. |
| Bullet | ![]() |
Used primarily as a side stone, the bullet cut adds a triangular shape to the end of a rectangular stone. |
Settings
A gem's setting is what makes it unique, letting you show off your personal sense of style.
| Setting | Picture | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Channel | ![]() |
A tension setting that holds gemstones only by a slight rim of metal, which runs along the edges of the channel. Channel-set jewels are usually round or baguette shaped. |
| Pavé | ![]() |
To maximize the sparkle of smaller stones, they are positioned close together and set apart by tiny beads of precious metal. Round-cut stones are commonly used. |
| Prong | ![]() |
Traditional prong settings lift the gemstone away from the metal, holding it only by the corners. More light is allowed into the stone, creating excellent brilliance. |
| Trellis | ![]() |
This setting crosses under the gemstone, creating the appearance of a trellis one would commonly find in a garden. It lifts the stone like traditional prong settings, but adds a touch of dramatic flair. |
| Cathedral | ![]() |
Crafted to imitate flying buttresses, the band in cathedral settings extends fully to meet the center stone on either side. This provides extra protection, keeping the gem safe. |
| Martini | ![]() |
A toastable setting shaped like a V, holding the stone with subtle prongs. Made to look like the traditional martini glass, it works best with round and princess-cut stones. |
| Bezel | ![]() |
A ring of precious metal wraps fully around the gemstone, holding it securely in place. Creates a very modern look. |
| Flush | ![]() |
Flush settings are most commonly found in men's jewelry where the gem table is even with the band. A stylish, subtle way to set small stones. |



















