Climbing the ladder of popularity these days are the marquise cut and oval cut diamond. Since the time the fancy shaped diamonds have come into vogue, there has been an increasing demand for them amongst all the diamond lovers. The uniqueness in their shape and feature is what catches our fancy and we cannot help but fall in love with them at first sight. However, diamond buying is no piece of cake. One needs to understand the various features that give the diamond a particular identity and label it under a certain quality. Apart from learning what each of the 4C implies and describes about a diamond, a person also needs to go beyond it to understand the basic tips that can guide them to shop for the perfect stone.
Things to know before you buy a Marquise Cut Diamond:
The marquise cut diamond is basically a modified brilliant-cut. Their shape resembles a football and an ellipse and can be described as an elongated oval cut. It has its two ends that are pointed and sharp. The face profile of a marquise cut is long and narrow. It has one of the largest crown surface and this makes the diamond cut appear larger than what the actual carat weight suggests. The elongated shape of the marquise cut makes the wearer’s finger appear long and slim. It is your choice to decide how narrow or fat a marquise cut diamond you would want to opt for. A length to width ratio of 1.75-2.15 is considered the most classic choice.
Before buying a marquise cut diamond, one must be aware of the presence of the bow-tie effect that varies from near invisible to severe. The diamond certificate does not contain any information about the visibility of a bow-tie effect and hence, one cannot ascertain the presence of it via the certificate. It can only be determined upon visual inspection. You may want to go with a flawless marquise cut diamond because you do not wish to have a bow –tie effect in it or you may be fine with a slight bow-tie effect. It is completely on you to decide how much of its visibility is just fine for you.
Another major concern when buying, for a marquise cut diamond is the symmetry. Excellent or very good symmetry is recommended in a marquise cut diamond as a slight misalignment in the points and the two curved sides can completely spoil the look when the diamond is finally set. Apart from that a marquise cut diamond should always be set with prongs. The two pointed ends are home to flaws and other inclusions and are also prone to chipping and hence, apart from protecting the two pointed ends from chipping, the prongs can also hide the flaws present therein.
Things to know before you buy an Oval Cut Diamond:
The oval diamonds are also a modified brilliant-cut. They are an ideal option for those who love the look and brilliance of the round cut diamond, but wish to go for something more unique. Like the marquise cut diamond, the oval cut also creates the illusion of a greater size. They also make the finger of the wearer appear longer and slimmer, which is basically an advantage of this cut. How much narrow or fat an oval cut diamond you want totally depends on you, however, a classic oval cut diamond usually has a length to width ratio of 1.35 – 1.50.
Like the marquise cut diamond, the oval cut diamond may also possess some degree of bow-tie effect. The degree of their visibility may vary from near invisible to severe. It is completely on you to decide how much intensity of the bow-tie effect is just fine for you. You may even wish to go for a completely flawless stone. It must be remembered that the information regarding the bow-tie effect cannot be obtained from the certificates as they do not disclose such information.
