Marquise Diamonds have their origin in the 18th century. King Louis XV of France had a new diamond cut created at the time which resembled the lips of his mistress in shape. This design was the base for the modern variation, with some modifications made over time. The word “Marquise” stands for a rank immediately below Duke, and this cut of diamond was sported by people holding prestigious positions in society. The shape of the diamond also looks like an elongated eye or a football.
The Marquise Diamond has 56 facets in the longer version. This makes it appear longer than most diamonds of similar carat weight. Besides, it also makes the fingers of the wearer look thinner. It is an ideal shape for a 1 carat ring if you are looking for something different from the more popular diamond cuts like round or cushion.
Cut Quality
Cut quality impacts the overall look of any diamond. If you want to spend your money wisely, make sure you invest more on this aspect. Even though this may sometimes reduce the carat weight of the diamond which you end up buying, it would compensate that with better brilliance, beauty, and overall quality.
Choosing a good marquise diamond is difficult because there is no technical definition of an excellent cut. GIA grades marquise diamonds but does not issue cut grades to it, making it impossible to know about the marquise unless you take a closer look.
The Bowtie Effect
A bowtie is the appearance of a dark patch of light close to the center of the diamond. It reduces the beauty of the diamond by drawing undesirable attention to the essential fault. If the diamond is broader, the effect is even more visible.
Slender Football
The Marquise Diamond cut makes the stone similar to a narrow football when it comes to its shape. It does not appeal strongly to the eyes of many observers. Besides, such a stone has an excessively high crown and a small table, which reduce the colored and white reflection of the diamond, taking away its radiance.
General Guidelines for Marquise Diamonds
Apart from the essential parameters, one has to ensure that marquise cut stones are set appropriately. For instance, they should be held using two prongs securing the stone by the pointed ends. This adds to the stability of the stone and secures it within the ring.
Certain diamond cutters use French Tips in order to prevent breakage. They interchange a large bezel facet at every tip using many smaller facets. This makes the ends of the diamond look like a star. Since the points become less acute with the use of French tips, they also become more resistant to chipping.
Length-to-Width Ratio
The length-to-width ratio of your marquise diamond is primarily a personal choice. The diamond should look appealing and yet should match the style of the wearer. The most commonly chosen length-to-width ratios land between 1.70 and 2.15. A ratio surrounding 1.75 signifies a stocky diamond which offers higher durability than stones with higher ratios. A ratio of 1.95 represents a diamond which is slightly slender and has average stability. A ratio of 2.15 gives you something more elongated and having less durability than other diamonds.
Remember that Marquise diamonds should have their pointed ends aligned with each other. You also need to make sure they are symmetrical because the slightest change would adversely affect the beauty of the stone.
Clarity of Marquise Cut Diamonds
It is advisable to look for S1 or S2 clarity graded diamonds when seeking out the best one carat diamond. Do not forget to view each one with your own eyes for better clarity. Aside from that, you need to be aware of its appearance after it is set onto jewelry. For instance, inclusions can be well concealed if they are located towards the ends, with the help of prongs. However, they would be harder to hide if located in the center.
Color of Marquise Cut Diamond
Choosing the color of a marquise diamond is similar to assessing its clarity. This means that more emphasis should be given to the appearance of the diamond, rather than just to the grading. According to the GIA grading scale, D is the most colorless of all, while grade Z is the opposite. It is normally recommended that G or H graded diamonds be purchased in order to get a decent colored diamond. These diamonds look as colorless as F or E colored diamonds, but cost much less.
Certification for Marquise Cut Diamonds
There are several grading entities, whereas there are only a few that grade diamonds consistently and properly. It is better to go in for either AGS or GIA certification. It is worth noting that reading reports about diamonds do not speak much about their actual appearance. Therefore, the actual diamonds have to be viewed while the reports too are analyzed, preferably by an expert.
Marquise diamonds allow ample amounts of personalization while offering impressive sparkle. Make sure you consider their major properties before buying atone that fits both your finger and heart.