Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash
A pear-shaped diamond is a mixture of the marquise and
round brilliant cuts. It consists of one pointed and one curved end and is among
the oldest diamond cuts around. Often, the pear shape is used as a side stone
on the engagement ring, to flank to centre stone. But, when used as the centre
stone, this diamond cut offers a striking and classical feel.
1.
It’s all about symmetry
Symmetry is important in pear shaped diamonds. A
slightly wonky pear cut will show, even a tiny difference is noticeable.
Each section of the diamond should be mirror image.
The point of the diamond should also be aligned with the tip of its curved end.
Aside from that, there shouldn’t be straight edges at all.
What’s more, the rounded point of the diamond should
never be too wide because it can make the stone look triangular in shape.
Try to find Very Good or Excellent symmetry with this
cut.
2.
Length to Width Ratio
Around 1.50 to 1.75 would be the ideal ratio. Anything
less will make the stone look somewhat square whereas anything over will make
it look too long and narrow. A more classic pear shape tends to make a
beautiful centre stone for the engagement ring.
3.
Look for a bow-tie
The bow-tie is the darker area, that looks just like
the shape of a bow-tie. It lies right across the middle of the stone. It
happens when the light reflecting from the diamond’s surface is not enough and
is created by misaligned facets. So, what happens is that light travels through
and then out of the stone rather than reflecting back at you.
Many pear shapes have a bow-tie which can range from
almost unnoticeable to severe. If the stone has been expertly cut, the facets
will align perfectly, and you won’t notice the bow-tie. But, if it catches your
eye the minute that you look at the diamond, rather choose another one.
4.
Choose a protective setting
A pear-shaped diamond necessitates a protective
setting so that the pointed end doesn’t get caught or chipped. Ideally, choose
a six-prong setting, which has five prongs to hold the diamond in place and a
sixth to protect the point of the stone.
A five-prong setting will also work well with smaller
pear-shaped stones. Halo and bezel settings provide enough protection, too.
Just make sure that the diamond does have a large bottom prong or V-shaped
prong to protect its point.
5.
Choose the colour grade
Finally, pick the colour grade for your diamond. A
pear-shape usually shows even the slightest bit of colour, so if you’d prefer
there not to be a tint, pick something close to the colourless range, close to
the D-G GIA scale grades. The colourless grades also offer more fire and
sparkle. But, they do come at a hefty price.
Use these 5 tips to find the perfect pear-shaped
diamond engagement ring.
