The Crisscut is a patented and trademarked faceting design created by Christopher Slowinski of Christopher Designs, a New York–based jewellery house. Introduced in the 1990s, the cut occupies a distinctive position in the landscape of modified brilliants: it retains the elongated rectangular or oval outline associated with step cuts — most notably the emerald cut — while layering additional cross-directional facets that dramatically increase light return and scintillation. The result is a stone that offers the elegant, architectural silhouette of a step cut without the comparative optical quietude that characterises traditional step-cut faceting. As a branded cut, the Crisscut is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and is subject to trademark protection; it is applied primarily to diamonds but has been executed in select coloured gemstones as well.

Design Architecture

Conventional step cuts — the emerald cut being the canonical example — are characterised by rows of elongated, parallel facets arranged in tiers on both the crown and pavilion. These facets produce the hall-of-mirrors effect prized by connoisseurs: broad, glassy flashes of light and a window-like transparency into the stone's interior. The trade-off is that step cuts are less efficient at returning light than brilliant cuts, and inclusions are more readily visible owing to the open, planar facet geometry.

The Crisscut addresses this compromise by superimposing a second set of facets that run at oblique angles — effectively crossing the conventional step-cut facet rows, hence the name. This cross-hatched arrangement multiplies the number of light-redirecting surfaces within the pavilion and crown, breaking up broad reflections into a greater number of smaller, more dynamic flashes. The overall facet count is substantially higher than that of a standard emerald cut, and the angular disposition of the additional facets is engineered to improve the critical-angle behaviour of light within the stone.

The outline itself is typically rectangular with cut corners, closely resembling an emerald-cut silhouette, though Christopher Designs has applied the Crisscut principle to oval and other elongated shapes as well. The proportions are proprietary, and the precise facet angles and counts are protected intellectual property.

Optical Performance

The central claim of the Crisscut — and the primary reason it commands attention in the trade — is that it achieves measurably greater brilliance and scintillation than a comparably proportioned traditional emerald cut, while preserving the outline that many buyers prefer for its association with Art Deco aesthetics and its flattering elongating effect on the finger. In a well-executed Crisscut diamond, the crossing facets produce a lively, sparkling face-up appearance that is markedly more active than the broad, mirror-like flashes of a standard step cut.

It is worth noting, however, that the Crisscut does not replicate the optical character of a round brilliant or a princess cut. The crossing facets introduce a distinctive visual texture — a kind of structured, geometric scintillation — that is recognisably different from both the open reflections of a step cut and the fine-grained sparkle of a brilliant cut. Buyers and gemmologists familiar with the design recognise it immediately in face-up view.

Application to Coloured Gemstones

While the Crisscut is most widely encountered in diamonds, Christopher Designs has applied the faceting approach to coloured gemstones, including sapphires and other transparent species. The considerations differ meaningfully from those governing diamond cutting. In coloured stones, the primary objective of faceting is typically to optimise colour saturation and evenness rather than to maximise brilliance in the strict optical sense. The Crisscut's additional facets can, in favourable circumstances, improve colour distribution by breaking up zones of uneven saturation and reducing the windowing effect common in poorly proportioned step-cut coloured stones. However, the increased facet count also reduces the depth of individual facets, which may affect the intensity of colour in stones that depend on path length through the material for saturation. The suitability of the Crisscut for any given coloured gemstone therefore depends on the species, the rough's colour distribution, and the cutter's judgement.

Branding, Certification, and Market Position

As a branded cut, the Crisscut occupies a well-defined commercial niche. Christopher Designs issues certificates of authenticity with Crisscut stones, and the trademark status of the design means that only stones cut under licence by the originating house may legitimately carry the name. This distinguishes the Crisscut from generic hybrid or modified step cuts, which may achieve superficially similar results through independent faceting approaches but lack the provenance and documentation associated with the branded product.

In the retail and wholesale diamond market, branded cuts generally command a premium over generic cuts of comparable grade, reflecting both the intellectual property embodied in the design and the marketing infrastructure that supports consumer recognition. The Crisscut is no exception: a Crisscut diamond of a given carat weight, colour, and clarity will typically be priced above a standard emerald-cut stone of equivalent graded quality, on the basis of the design's perceived optical superiority and its branded identity.

For buyers who are drawn to the emerald-cut silhouette but find the optical performance of traditional step cuts insufficiently lively, the Crisscut represents a coherent solution. It is particularly well suited to buyers who prioritise finger coverage and the elongating visual effect of a rectangular stone, and who wish to wear a cut with a degree of exclusivity and documented provenance.

Gemmological Identification

Identifying a Crisscut in the hand is straightforward for a gemmologist familiar with the design. The crossing facet pattern on the pavilion is immediately apparent under magnification and is distinctive enough that it cannot easily be confused with a standard emerald cut, a radiant cut, or other modified rectangular brilliants. The radiant cut — the most commercially prominent rectangular modified brilliant — achieves its brilliance through a different facet arrangement, producing a more uniformly crushed-ice appearance in face-up view; the Crisscut's crossing pattern creates a more structured, linear scintillation that is visually distinct.

Grading laboratories, including the Gemological Institute of America, will describe a Crisscut on a grading report using the cut style designation appropriate to its geometry, though the proprietary name itself is a trademark and may or may not appear on third-party laboratory documents. Buyers seeking confirmation of a stone's identity as a genuine Crisscut should request the Christopher Designs certificate of authenticity in addition to any independent laboratory report.

Further Reading

• GIA — Understanding Diamond Cut
• GIA — Fancy Shape Diamonds