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Marquise Diamond: Everything You Need To Know

Marquise Diamond: Everything You Need To Know

Have you ever heard of a real royal piece – the marquise diamond?

When it comes to picking a gem for an engagement ring, a marquise diamond is a one-of-a-kind option. This magnificent diamond cut will bring edges and asymmetry to your ring design that a conventional round diamond would not. 

Furthermore, this treasure is unquestionably an antique item with a backstory.

Examining any diamond’s pricing, quality, and overall appeal is critical before acquiring it. Many people use the “4 Cs” to define diamonds when evaluating quality – cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. 

However, with so many distinct aspects to consider, finding a diamond that matches your taste and style can be difficult. In this article, we’ll help you understand those important aspects of choosing the right diamond – and tell you a bit more about marquise diamonds. 

What Are Marquise Diamonds?

The football-shaped marquise gems are cut in a refined brilliant-cut style. A marquise diamond has 56 facets in an extended elliptical form with a point on either end. 

This elongated design is said to make the wearer’s hand appear slimmer and longer, which is a good effect for a diamond ring. As an added advantage, the elongated form makes the diamond appear more prominent than its true carat weight, making it appear considerably larger than it is. 

Choosing a marquise cut for your engagement ring is an excellent strategy to save money while maximizing the value of your center diamond. 

The diamond can lie north-south like a tower, or east-west like a puckered pair of lips, with two orientations at stake – conventional North-South or more contemporary and edgy East-West.

Either way, the marquise diamond is a remarkable choice for people looking for something distinctive because of its magnificent and unique appearance.

The History Of Marquise Diamond 

The marquise cut originates from the 18th century when King Louis XV of France, who lived from 1710 to 1774, ordered a jeweler to create a cut that would represent the lips of his lover, Jean Antoinette Poisson Marchioness Madame de Pompadour.

According to the legend, everything started during a masquerade ball at Versailles. Jean Antoinette Poisson met King Louis XV. The King was so impressed that he appointed her as his principal mistress, with a significant position in his palace as the Marquise de Pompadour.

He commented that she had the most beautiful lips he had ever encountered. So, the king hired a royal jeweler to make a diamond cut and shape that resembled her lips.

The term “marquise” alludes to a hereditary position higher than that of a count but lower than that of a duke – and it derives from the idea that courtiers used to wear marquise cut stones to show off their status.

Because of its boat-like form, marquise diamonds are known as “navette” gems, which means “small ship” in French. Although this cut was firstly designed for diamonds, it is now extensively employed with other stones such as emeralds, rubies, and sapphires.

Related Read: Diamonds Vs. Emeralds: What Is the Best Choice for You?

How To Choose A Marquise Diamond

Now that you know what a marquise diamond is, let’s talk about what to look for when buying one.

Firstly, we’ll go through the 4Cs of marquise-cut diamonds, followed by discussing other crucial considerations to keep in mind when selecting this diamond.

Marquise Diamond’s Anatomy

A marquise is a “fancy shape,” that is, a form that is not spherical. To select a lovely marquise diamond, you must first understand its components.

  • The belly is the middle region where the sides bend out the greatest. That is a critical place on a marquise diamond since it is where the width is calculated.
  • The point is formed by the intersection of the two curved sides at either end.
  • The curving portion from the belly to the tip is known as the wing.
  • A girdle is defined as the junction of the crown (top facets) and bottom facets that form the perimeter.
  • The bottom of a fancy cut gem, where the pavilion facets meet, is known as the keel line. It runs the length of the gem and occasionally incorporates (or goes through) the center.

Understanding the anatomy of a marquise gemstone – belly, point, wing, girdle, and keel line – can help you explain qualities that are essential to you.

Cut Quality

The cut quality of each diamond has a significant impact on its overall beauty and worth. If you are going to spend your money on any of the four C’s (cut, color, clarity, and carat), the cut must be at the top of the priority list

Even if you have to reduce your carat weight to acquire a superior cut, it will be worth it in terms of the diamond’s beauty and look.

Choosing a marquise diamond is difficult since the characteristics of an ideal cut are less clear. Despite the fact that the GIA grades marquise diamonds, it only provides cut grades for round brilliants

As a result, it’s hard to determine whether a marquise gem will be dull or brilliant without looking closer. That said, there are numerous cut aspects that might make a marquise diamond unappealing – like the bow-tie effect.

Bow-Tie Effect

Many marquise diamonds cut in the brilliant form have a black shadow that creates a bow-tie effect across the breadth of the stone in the middle when viewed from the top. A bow tie can range from grayish to black. The darker and broader it is, the more it might detract from the beauty of the diamond.

Marquise diamonds often have some amount of a bow-tie effect since those without a bow-tie are generally lifeless and lack sparkle. While a small bow tie in a marquise gem may be visually pleasing, some bow ties are so apparent that they are disturbing.

A bow-tie is particularly frequent in diamonds with shallow or extremely deep pavilions. Slightly deeper pavilions and a few faceting adjustments can help mitigate the impact, though.

The appearance of a bow-tie effect in a gem can only be determined visually – not by studying the diamond certificate or size. To observe the degree of the bow-tie effect in a marquise stone, look at it through the eyes of a diamond grader: 

Examine the stone face-up, without zoom, in regular lighting, and at a regular viewing distance, as if you were wearing it on your hand. 

Remember that the facets of a diamond operate like a series of mirrors, catching the light from space around you while reflecting it again to your eyes. 

Your head will prevent part of the light from reaching the diamond while you gaze at it. And as a result, you notice a striking contrast where your head and shoulders are mirrored: a dark bow-tie effect.

The intensity of the bow-tie effect (from slight to visible) and degree of blackness (gray to black) might change based on the dimensions of the diamond and your closeness to it.

Clarity

Clarity’s determined by the number of imperfections and flaws in the diamond. The GIA assigns gem clarity ratings ranging from I2 (inclusions) to IF (internally flawless).

While there are variances across grades, it’s critical to note that these differences are minor and frequently invisible to the human eye. 

A marquise gemstone with microscopic inclusions, for example, costs roughly $4,800, while a marquise with minor inclusions costs $3,550 – yet both seem to have no defects to the human eye.

We advise thoroughly inspecting a diamond rather than making a selection based simply on a quality report since the variation is practically undetectable without a microscope or experienced eye.

Since they employ ultra-high-definition stone photography, many diamond authorized vendors provide exceptionally good tools for analyzing diamond clarity. You may get up-close images of each diamond with their equipment.

As a general rule, opt for a diamond with minor inclusions for the highest clarity and worth in marquise gems, but keep in mind that each diamond must be evaluated on its own merits and attractiveness to the human eye.

You should also examine how the diamond will seem when placed in the jewelry. Inclusions, for instance, are readily covered by the prongs that secure the marquise’s two ends – but are more difficult to conceal if they are in the middle.

Color

Color is comparable to clarity in the marquise diamond: Greater emphasis should be placed on the real aspect of the diamond than on a precise grading supplied by a lab agency.

The GIA assigns color grading to diamonds ranging from D to Z. D diamonds are deemed the most transparent or colorless. In contrast, Z diamonds have a noticeable yellow or brown hue.

The apparent difference between these two nearby grades, like G and H, is often non-existent to the human eye, which is why we recommend analyzing the diamond personally or enlisting the help of an expert.

Typically, a G or H for marquise diamonds is recommended since they provide the best value while remaining colorless to the human eye. G and H marquise gems have the same colorless appearance as an F or E – but cost less.

Length To Width Ratio

The length-to-width ratio of a diamond indicates the length from point to point relative to the breadth throughout the belly. The length to width ratio of a gem may be computed by dividing its length by its breadth.

So, a marquise diamond’s usual length is twice its breadth – or, in other words, a length-to-width proportion of 2:1. However, keep in mind that selecting a length to breadth ratio for your marquise gem is mostly a matter of personal opinion. 

Above everything else, you want the diamond to be dazzling to the naked eye and complement the wearer’s style. Let’s look at a few examples:

With a proportion of 1.70, the Marquise is slightly chubbier and may be more durable than those with greater ratios. The 1.95 gem is thinner and has more stability. The stone with a 2.15 ratio is somewhat longer and may be less durable than the others.

In general, no marquise form is intrinsically superior to some other. So, pick what attracts you the most, and make sure the diamond is well-cut and well-set in the jewelry.

Symmetry

Symmetry is an essential element of excellent design and, together with form appeal, is crucial in evaluating a marquise diamond’s overall aesthetic appeal.

The GIA analyzes symmetry in stones determined by visual inspections, and GIA diamond grading certificates include symmetry grade on a five-point scale that ranges from excellent to poor. 

So, here are a few guidelines to consider when assessing the symmetry of a marquise stone.

Drag an imagined horizontal line across the stone’s belly to see if the two sides are symmetrical in form and length. The gemstone should not be shorter or taller in one half than the other.

Now, examine the curvature of the wings to ensure they’re symmetrical; each wing should have the same curvature degree.

The symmetry of the facets also contributes to the cut’s brilliance. So, create an imaginary line along the entire diamond’s length: The facets on the left and right half of the gem should have the same form and size – and they should be located in the same relative positions along with the wings.

Then, trace an imaginary line horizontally across the diamond to determine if the facets on the bottom and top half are symmetrical, as well. Remember, the more symmetrical the facets, the more valuable the diamond.

The good news is that an asymmetrical marquise-cut gem may be simpler to identify than, for instance, a cushion cut that is asymmetrical due to the ends.

Conclusion

So, let us summarize why a marquise diamond is regaining its popularity nowadays.

The marquise cut diamond – also known as the boat cut or the football cut – with its fascinating style and design, is the perfect fit for an engagement ring. It allows the wearer to be as creative as possible while selecting an ideal ring design.

The marquise diamond, a variety of pear-shaped and round diamonds, has an elongated body that makes it appear more prominent than its actual carat weight. It’s a great way to flaunt long, thin fingers. 

While we’re at it, 1.70 to 2.25 is the recommended cut ratio.

A marquise diamond cut is like owning a piece of royalty on your finger. If your significant other has fallen head over heels with this diamond form, you now know what to search for in a ring!

Learn More: Diamond Shapes: All Different Types of Diamond Shapes