Marquise cut diamonds are football shaped and are known as modified brilliant cut. Brilliant cut is a term that is used to refer to diamonds with rectangular or kite shaped facets, radiating from the center. The diamond got its name from the Marquise of Pompadour, for whom King Louis XIV of France allegedly fashioned a stone resembling the shape of her lips. As these diamonds are long and narrow, they also give an illusion of increased size.
Marquise diamonds have a very large crown surface area among all diamond shapes. This makes these diamonds a great choice if you are looking to maximize the perceived size of the stone. These diamonds can make the finger of the person appear slim and long too, which is considered the trademark property of oval cut diamonds.
As per the experts in the diamond industry, these diamonds posses some degree of bow tie, which varies from near invisible to severe. A bow tie is a dark area running from right to left across the center of the diamond resembling the shape of a bow tie. The phenomenon of bow tie is caused by the leakage of light due to the misalignment of the faucets. The bow tie effect cannot be confirmed by reviewing the certificate of the diamond or its dimensions. It can only be ascertained by visual inspection of the same.
The length and thickness of the diamond you choose depends on your personal preference, even though length-to-width ratio ranging from 1.75 to 2.15 is usually considered classic marquise cut. Symmetry, on the other hand, is a really important factor in case of marquise cut diamonds. Both the end points of the diamond should perfectly align with each other and the left and right sides should almost form a mirror image. Even the slightest misalignment can lead to an off kilter look and so it is strongly recommended that marquise diamonds have good symmetry. In addition, marquise cut diamonds should be set with prongs not only to protect the two points that are the likely location for chipping but also to enhance its overall appeal.
Evaluating clarity and color in marquise cut stones is subjective. In some of the larger marquise cut diamonds, the color can appear somewhat darker at the points. This is the reason why many buyers choose to move up a color grade when compared to the other diamond shapes. The standard of clarity will change from buyer to buyer and some of them will be comfortable with an inclusion in the diamond as long as it is not easily visible.