Marquise is a diamond shape, resembling an NFL ball. A loose marquise diamond has 58 facets, 25 of which are on the bottom half of the stone (pavilion) and the rest on its crown. A nickname for this diamond is navette, which is a French word translating to a tiny boat. This stone has features similar to one such boat.
The Pros
You might choose a diamond of this shape due to some of the reasons given below.
Big Size
A loose marquise stone looks bigger than every other cut diamond counterpart. Its face-up surface area is much bigger than other diamonds.
Flattering
The rock makes the wearer’s finger look longer. It is flattering especially on people who have short or tiny fingers.
Less Expensive
Marquise cut diamonds often cost much less than their round cut counterparts. For an uninitiated, by counterpart, we mean other diamonds with characteristics comparable to the marquise cut one. Coupled with the bigger appearance of the marquise gem, this means that you have the chance to purchase a larger-looking stone for less money.
Hide Imperfections
The diamond cut, modified from a round brilliant stone, can hide some internal imperfections. So you get to buy a diamond with a much lower clarity grade, thus saving some dollars on the product.
Unique Cut
Many brides-to-be tend to choose more traditional shapes, such as round and princess, rather than this. So the good thing with choosing marquise is that you will get a shape that is different from many others’ diamonds.
The Cons
Notwithstanding the pros, you should look for the following things in a marquise cut diamond when you shop for one.
Bow Tie Effect
In the middle of the stone, there tends to be a shadow that resembles a bow tie. Almost every marquise diamond has this effect for two reasons: its shape and how it distributes the light. Larger and darker shadows inside it can take away from the beauty of your marquise diamond.
Yellow Tips
The gemstone, especially one with a bigger carat size, often traps more yellow color at its pointed tips. This means that you may have to go for a higher clarity grade diamond, which will cost you extra money.
Chipping
The stone’s pointed ends are more at risk of chipping when hit precisely there. By choosing a V-shaped claw setting, you can protect its tips. Still, that setting means less light will enter the stone, which will contribute to lesser sparkle.