One shape, many names. The stunning marquise cut diamond is not just called the ‘marquise cut’. Owing to its unique shape and structure, this one comes with a whole bunch of names. Some call it the ‘football-shaped cut’, some call it the ‘eye-shaped cut’ and many others refer to it as the ‘boat-shaped’ cut.
Whatever you choose to call it yourself, one thing’s for sure — the marquise cut diamond is a sight for sore eyes. With its 58 facets, pointy ends and elliptical shape, this style is striking, to say the least. However, it’s not a very popular stone of choice when it comes to engagement rings, since people tend to go for the more vintage cuts. Nonetheless, Victoria Beckham’s proposal ring is topped with a stunning marquise cut diamond! Needless to say, a marquise cut diamond is an exceptional beauty.
A Brief History
It all goes back to the 18th century. King Louis XV of France, assigned the task of designing a cut shape to resemble the lips of his mistress, to a jeweller. This mistress was in question was called Jean Antoinette Poisson, who was the Marchioness Madame de Pompadour. And that was how this sparkling stone in an unusual shape, was commissioned.
In fact, marquise cut diamonds were also popularly worn by courtiers, to showcase their rank. With the passage of time, it evolved into the distinctive shape that we all know and love today.
Evaluating a Marquise cut diamond
CUT
What makes a marquise cut an excellent one is not very clear. While the GIA does grade marquise diamonds, these grades are only given to Round Brilliants. And so, unless you look closer, it’s nearly impossible to tell if the cut is a little dull or if it’s flawless.
COLOUR
The GIA grades coloured diamonds on a scale ranging from D to Z. While Z diamonds denote tints of yellow or brown, the ones graded D denote colourless diamonds. The difference between multiple adjacent grades is not easily visible to the naked eye. So, always rely on experts to help you out. We suggest going for a G or H diamond in this case.
CLARITY
You could always rely on your grade reports to vouch for your diamond’s clarity. However, reviewing such coloured diamonds comes highly recommended. There are, of course, differences between clarity grades, but these are not usually visible to the naked eye. In general terms, S1 or S2 are the most sought after when it comes to the best clarity, especially in marquise cuts. So, it’s always safer to get diamond experts to review your marquise diamonds before you buy them.
Uniglo Diamonds promises a wide array of diamonds in many different shapes.