What is a step cut in diamond jewellery?

A step cut is a faceting style defined by parallel, rectilinear facets arranged in concentric rows that resemble a staircase viewed from above. On the crown, three rows of facets surround the table; on the pavilion, three rows descend toward the culet. IGI-certified lab-grown diamonds cut in this style include emerald and Asscher shapes, both graded under the same cut-quality criteria as any other faceting arrangement. Because step-cut facets are broad and flat, they act like mirrors rather than light-scattering prisms, making inclusions and colour more visible than in a brilliant cut. Buyers prioritizing this style should select VS2 clarity or better and a colour grade of F or above to get the clean, hall-of-mirrors effect the cut is known for. The mixed cut, a third arrangement, combines step-cut and brilliant-cut facets on opposite halves of the same stone.