Some designer engagement rings have been popular for so long they’re regarded as classics. The round brilliant cut diamond solitaire is one such example. Step cut diamonds such as emerald cuts have also made a name for themselves on engagement rings. Heart engagement rings are popular with couples who have a sentimental streak. Those who wish to be romantic and unconventional might want to consider marquise cut diamonds for their designer engagement rings.
Marquise cut diamonds are a fancy brilliant cut which resembles an oval with pointed ends. Ideal marquise diamonds are symmetrical, their two points aligned with one another. The diamonds’ length makes them look larger than their carat size, but shouldn’t be too narrow. Optimal length to width ratios are between 1.75:1 and 2.25:1. There is no standard faceting style, though their pavilions have gotten narrower since 1919 and the influence of the round brilliant cut diamond.
In 1745, King Louis XV of France commissioned a new type of diamond. He was deeply in love with Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, who he recently made the Marquise de Pompadour. She was a great beauty, and the king wanted a diamond that matched the shape of her mouth. The marquise cut diamond commemorated her new title, and bright her greater fame in the French court.
