What to look for in a pear shaped diamond

Hi--I think pears fall into the same category as other fancies. They cannot be judged solely on the numbers. I think you really have to see them and evaluate them in person to make the final decision on if its a stone you would go with or not. But think of the FUN you will have while pear hunting!!!

Date: 2/26/2008 11:06:42 PM
Author:leapinghorse
Hey all!

I have been asked by a friend to help him find a pear shaped diamond for his upcoming proposal and I wanted to get some advice on what to look for in terms of proportions, angles etc. I have not found much information about how to evaluate the cut of a pear shaped diamond so I was hoping this forum could offer some help.

Thanks!

Best thing is to work with a good vendor who has in house diamonds, who can advise you on suitability, shape, cut, eyecleanliness etc.  HG is right that you can''t judge so much by numbers, so pics of the diamond and an ASET image is really useful.  Also it can be a matter of taste, some pears have the chunky faceted look, others more crushed ice.  Also the shape can vary, some pears being more long and thin, or short and fat.  Many will have the bow tie effect, some pears more than others, so again a good vendor who can advise you on this is essential.

I agree with the ladies, you need to really see fancies, however, here''s a link that may help you with numbers as a basic guideline.



http://www.gemappraisers.com/oldcutgraderules.asp

Also a shape selector you can play with!

http://www.gemappraisers.com/shapePickerNew.asp 

I am a pear owner, and for me it was not about the numbers it was about how it looked to me.  So I agree, your best bet would be to go out and compare a few and see what appeals to you (your friends) eyes.

Great advice from everyone and I agree you have to see the diamonds to see which one looks good to you.

As a pear owner, I can tell you that the shape of your pear is a matter of taste.  While a 1.50 proportion is recommended (one and a half times as long as it is wide), that is also a matter of taste.  I wanted my pear to be a tad longer, but there''s a lovely lady on this board who just bought a pear who switched from one stone to the other until she got one that was chubby enough for her.  60/60 depth/table %s are also recommended, at least a 60% depth for the "health" of the stone.  Pears and marquises can crack or break if hit the right way at the points.  There are no other specific %s as in crown angles etc. because every fancy is cut just a little bit differently, but I feel that''s the beauty of them.  They''re each individuals.  Buying a GIA certed pear that specifies that it''s a "pear brilliant" will insure that the center of the stone is cut to round brilliant specs.  It amazed me that not all pears are pear brilliants.  If it''s a pear brilliant, that will cut down on the possibility of the bow tie phenomena.  Mine did not have a bow tie when it was loose, but has a slight bow tie in the mounting because it''s reflecting the image of the head underneath.  A certain amount of bow tie is probably unavoidable.  I hope this helps a little.