Baguette Diamonds Explained
TL;DR: A baguette is a narrow, rectangular step-cut diamond, almost always used as a side stone rather than a centre stone. Straight baguettes have parallel sides; tapered baguettes narrow toward one end, chosen specifically to flank a centre stone's shoulders cleanly.
What a Baguette Cut Is
The baguette is a step cut — like the emerald cut, its facets run in parallel rows rather than the radiating pattern of a brilliant cut — shaped as a narrow rectangle. The name comes from the French word for a long, narrow loaf of bread, describing the shape's elongated proportions.
Straight vs Tapered Baguettes
Straight baguettes have parallel long sides throughout their length, used where a uniform width suits the design — an eternity band's continuous line of stones, for instance.
Tapered baguettes narrow from one end to the other, cut specifically to follow the curve of a ring's shoulder as it approaches the centre stone. This tapering is what allows baguettes to sit flush and proportionate against a centre stone rather than looking abruptly sized.
Why Baguettes Are Almost Always Side Stones
The step-cut faceting that makes baguettes elegant and architectural also makes inclusions and colour more visible than a brilliant cut would — the same trade-off found in emerald and Asscher cuts. Because a baguette's narrow proportions also produce less overall sparkle than a brilliant, they're used almost exclusively as side or accent stones, framing a brilliant or step-cut centre stone rather than serving as the centre stone themselves.
Where Baguettes Are Used
Flanking a centre stone's shoulders in a three-stone or trilogy design, forming a continuous line in an eternity band, or as accent detail along a band. See our eternity ring guide for how baguettes work specifically in that context.
Sourcing Baguettes at À Vie Diamonds
We source straight and tapered baguettes to complement any centre stone shape. Get in touch to discuss a design.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a tapered baguette diamond? A baguette cut narrowing from one end to the other, cut specifically to follow a ring's shoulder curve as it approaches the centre stone.
Can a baguette be a centre stone? Rarely — baguettes are almost always used as side stones, since their step-cut faceting produces less sparkle and shows more colour and inclusions than shapes typically chosen for a centre stone.
Last reviewed: July 2026 · À Vie Diamonds