Marquise Cut Diamond Rings
A marquise cut is a classical, time-transcending style for cutting stones that looks classier and more elegant than it’s more common round, square or pear-shaped cousins. It has quite the romantic background behind the spark of its creation, which adds to its allure and largely contributed to its popularity among diamond rings. People who wish to get a ring for their sweetheart might want to seriously consider this ring.
One of the first things you have to consider, of course, is its physical appearance. The marquise cut is the most outstanding style amongst the others by virtue of its shape. While others may be cut square, round, oval, pear or even the more romantic heart shapes, the marquise cut is long (usually with a length twice its width) and shaped like an eye. Legend has it that the marquise cut is supposed to represent the shape of a woman’s lips. Talk about being creatively romantic!
History
It is said that the marquise cut diamond was created in the eighteenth century during the reign of King Louis XIV of France, who ordered diamonds to be cut in the shape of his lover’s lips (her name was Marquise de Pompadour). Thus the marquise cut was born and earned its name from the person for whom it was created. The marquise cut can also be seen as the symbol of the king’s love for his beloved. It has grown in popularity ever since its debut, and today it studs many engagement rings of many happy couples.
The marquise style is still going strong today, and is admired for its resilience against time where other, older cuts have failed to make the cut (pardon the pun).
Advantages
The marquise cut has many advantages, and one of its stronger ones is its ability to proudly show off its colour. This is advantageous for diamonds of rarer or more brilliant colours, as the marquise cut will bring out the best in them for the world to see. The colour of your stone can also be enhanced by the marquise cut’s versatility when it comes to matching it with metals that form your ring: it can be paired beautifully with sterling silver, gold, platinum and other metals without looking garish.
It is also a slender and very striking style for a diamond ring. Its shape alone sets it apart from other rings, and its length plays up the graceful beauty of a lady’s fingers. Its tapered points and elongated shape make marquise cut diamond rings silently, but obviously, regal. Thus, such diamond rings are suited to those with long fingers as they complement each other.
Besides that, marquise cut diamond rings are attractive because of their relatively lower price tags in comparison to traditional, round cut stones. They might be of lower value, but they are no less pretty: in fact, if you have the right hand for them, marquise cut diamond rings are your best bet. Its additional romantic value gives it more plus points, too, without eating too much into your pocket – or that of your significant other.
Its shape also lends it a higher carat weight. This gives the wearer of such rings bragging rights, should she want to show off her ring. Marquise cut diamond rings tend to exude the appearance of having more carat than they actually do, adding to the illusion of wealth and prosperity. You can get all this and more for your beloved at a lower price than a round cut diamond ring.
Disadvantages
The main problem with the marquise cut is what some call the ‘bow tie effect’, which refers to a blackened spot somewhere in the center of the stone. All marquise cut stones have them, so you have to exercise care to pick a stone with minimum bow tie effect that might otherwise mar the beauty of the stone and thus, the ring. You wouldn’t be satisfied with diluted brilliance, would you?
The next disadvantage of this cut is its delicately tapered ends. These are fragile and quite vulnerable to damage, as the thin corners are more likely to be chipped off or scratched due to their lean, tapered forms. Make sure that stones carrying this cut have their ends protected by prongs and this problem will disappear.
Marquise cut diamond rings are unfortunately less brilliant than their round cut cousins, but that shouldn’t faze you too much because they are brilliant in other ways. For starters, they show off colours better. So if you want brilliance, try looking at round cut diamond rings, but if symbolism and uniqueness are what you are looking for, marquise cut diamond rings more than fit the bill.
In conclusion, despite the disadvantages of the marquise cut, its selling points – and especially its romantic value – make it a viable choice for that important, heart-stopping, stomach-knotting moment for you and your loved one. There is a reason why this classic cut has survived the ravages of time, and giving a ring with a marquise cut diamond will hint that you want its resiliency and timeless romance to be yours for your potential union for years to come. What better way is there to say “I will love you forever” than to give a diamond ring that symbolises that very same trait?