A thin, long gemstone normally cut with just 14 or 18 facets.
Any gem that is cut into a shape that is thin and long, with parallel facets is regarded as a baguette (or rectangle) cut. Normally a baguette cut would be a step cut and not a brilliant cut gem. The word comes from the French word for stick or rod; this is why French bread is known as a baguette.
The cut is often used on gems where their crystal structure is naturally oblong. When set at right angles to the band of metal in a solitaire ring it can help elongate the look of the finger. The cut is increasing in popularity for channel set Diamond rings, where baguette cut gems are tightly set parallel to each other.
Baguette cuts, with their minimal number of facets, do not return much brilliance or fire. The cut looks extremely modern and is wonderful at highlighting clarity and depth of colour: an ideal cut for vividly coloured gemstones. If you are buying a piece of jewellery with baguette cut diamonds it is important to purchase a slightly higher clarity grade than you might normally. This is because the baguette shape is very open and does not have facets on its table; the lapidarist cannot hide inclusions as they would in a round brilliant cut. A tapered baguette is one where the gem is cut thinner at one end.
