My emerald is a very clean "C-grade" oval brilliant cut. I think the window might be due to my request that it be this cut; this is meant for a diamond, not an emerald...

My oval mostly has the window effect in super bright light, too; I just don't want to feel self-conscious about my emerald not looking great in sunlight. I'm sure it'd be in the back of my mind anytime I'm in that kind of environment, light-wise.

And if I decide on the totally enclosed look, I'd probably go with another person to design this. I absolutely love Mark's pieces and respect his work, and I wouldn't want to bother him with a simple bezel solitaire with nothing special on it.

I do not have the emerald with me; it's still in Mark's possession. The only images I have of it head-on are

and from a poor-quality video I posted here.

In both cases, you can see the division between my middle finger and my ring finger. The emerald does not have any long inclusions in it--just a black speck and a short horizontal line near one of the EW ends.

Now that I study my picture and video a little more, though... maybe it won't be such a big deal. I have to be in really harsh light for this effect to be visible/bother me, and in sunlight, it's usually throwing so many bright, blue-green sparkles around that it's hard to study it for a window.

Maybe I'm REALLY overthinking this while I'm waiting to hear back from Mark...

I don't see anything wrong with it Emanuela! I'm seeing a window on the side, not in the middle, but maybe that is the picture?

Maybe Mark could close up the bottom of the setting, not the sides? That should help.

I also love bezeled emeralds though so either of your choices will be wonderful! It doesn't have to be a super simple bezel either

And not to disagree with you flash but it's a common misconception that a inclusion free stone = window.

Most my gemstones are inclusion free and have no windows, it's all in the cut!

Of course I'm going to say bezel that beauty ~ everyone knows I'm a huge bezel fan! Most people think bezels are just for modern settings, but as my examples above have shown, many antique emerald rings are set in bezels and they truly are stunning!

I think it's sometimes hard to judge how a stone is going to perform when it's not in a mounting. I have had stones that looked like glass when I held them on my finger, but once mounted, the difference was amazing. Your emerald is beautiful, and I'm sure she is going to look stunning when she's on your finger.

@Sparklee, yes, those are bezels.... but my understanding is that what Emanuela is considering is a full enclosed bezel, where the stone is entirely cupped on the bottom, in an effort to prevent the viewer from seeing through the stone to the fingers. In the photos you posted, it's not evident that the stones are set in this manner.

Bmv, not to disagree with you, and maybe I read it wrong, but you implied that there is a window because it's poorly cut. That's not always true either, just like it's not always true that an inclusion free stone shows a window. But, confirmed from my jeweler that if an emerald is relatively perfect it's going to have translucence. This is all I'm saying, so of course, depending on the cut (duh, lol, this is why you can see right thru a rose cut and not a concave cut, and why my Asscher has a bad window in some lighting and yet in other lighting all I see are facets. ) it can have a window. How obvious it can be depends on the material, too. That's all I'm saying!

Turks, that's what I thought too, that she wanted a solid bezel to cup the stone. If it's set high enough maybe just a whole for the culet? I've seen emeralds gypsy set with a whole on the bottom to let some in. I really wish Mark would answer! Haha.

I agree, sparkee! Its a beautiful stone!!! Wowed!!

You're right that it will be translucent if its low on imperfections, that kindda applies for all stones though! But that is not a synonym for windows which is what I was trying to say!

And yes I was also trying to say that if a stone is poorly cut it will have a head on window, but that's just math and angle degrees.

I know it's easy to get confused on this stuff but obviously I didn't explain myself properly, sorry

My bad! I guess I misunderstood....... that's what you get trying to multitask!!

I can't stop staring at that first ring sparklee posted.

Emanuela, here's some pics. I hope they help you in some way. I really do think a bezel (of some kind) is best for an emerald, though, but maybe a prong setting will be ok! Keep in mind the twist in my ring has more pattern, so I think it is more noticeable because of this, too. I don't really notice the vertical part of the prongs - that is solid - at all!

more apparent -




less apparent -







I'm hanging around your thread like a gnat as I really can't wait to see this ring finished! *droolz*

You and me both! Just say "bezel" and I'm all ears.... and eyes!