Marquise Cut Diamond

The marquise cut (aka "Navette" cut) is an elliptical shaped brilliant cut with pointed ends. The shape emerged in the 18th century, but many associate it with jewelry styles from the 1970s. We've seen renewed interest in marquise cuts. For example, marquise cuts set in east/west or horizontal orientations with diamond halos or simple bezel settings create a fresh contemporary look. Actresses Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Portia de Rossi both have east/west set marquise cut diamond engagement rings. Some prefer a vertical orientation, which elongates the finger. Recommended length to width ratio for Marquise cuts is 1.75 to 2.25

Special Characteristics of the Marquise cut diamond

Marquise cuts may show more color and inclusions than other brilliant cuts. Inclusions may be easily seen in the center (belly) facets, which are larger than the pointed end facets where inclusions are easily hidden. The pointed ends of this cut should be protected, as they can be prone to chipping. Marquise cuts may have a prominent bow tie area. A bow tie is a dark area across the center width of many fancy shapes—a result of varying pavilion angles. Bow ties show as light return that is blocked by the head of the viewer. Fancy shapes like Ovals, Marquises, Hearts, and Pears will have bow ties of varying degrees, and it is best to avoid excessively deep or shallow stones. Marquise cuts can be found in a wide array of proportions, and they are best judged in person or in photographs.

Size Matters

Marquise cuts generally look much larger from the “face up” position than other fancy shapes of the same carat weight. It is not uncommon to find 1ct. Marquise cuts that are approximately 10mm long X 6mm wide—compared to round brilliants, which are generally 6.5mm in the 1ct. range.

Basic Marquise Cut Guidelines courtesy of http://www.gemappraisers.com/index.asp

CUT CLASSES	Class 1A	Class 1B	Class 2A	Class 2B	Class 3A	Class 3B	Class 4A	Class 4B
	Ideal cut	Premium cut	International fine trade cut		US domestic average cut		below average
Table %	55-60%	53-61.5%	52-62%	51-64%	51-67%	49-70%	48-72%	>72% <48%
Crown Height %	12-15%	11.5-16%	11-16.6%	10.1-17.5%	9-18%	8.3-18.9%	7.8-19.5%	<7.8% >19.5%
Girdle thickness Word descriptions and percentages.	V. Thin to Sl. Thick (0.4%-4.5%) or Thin to Thick (1%-5.5%)			V.Thin to Thick(0.4%-5.5%)	Very Thin to Very Thick (0.4% to 7.0%)		Extremely thin to Extremely thick (0.0% to >7.0%)
Total Depth %	59.0-63.0%			63.1-65.4%	56-68.5%	46-71%	43-73%	>73% < 43%
Length:Width Ratios Trade preferences. A matter of personal taste and choice.	Pear 1.50-1.75 Marquise 1.75-2.25 Heart 0.98-1.02 Oval 1.33-1.66				1.26-1.99 1.51-2.49 1.24-0.91 1.26-1.74		> Class 3 < Class 3
Polish/Symmetry Not a primary determining factor.	Excellent to Good				Good or Fair		Poor to Fair