Pear Cut Diamond

Pear cuts are known for their brilliance and timeless elegance. A variation of the Round Brilliant, pears are rounded on one end with a tapering point on the other, like a teardrop. Similar to Ovals and Marquises, Pears can elongate the finger when set in a ring. The shape also works well in pendants and earrings. A general length to width ratio guideline for Pear cuts is 1.5 to 1.75.

Special Characteristics of the Pear Cut Diamond

Be aware that Pear cuts can show color and inclusions more than other fancy shapes. The pointed end of this shape should be protected, as it can be prone to chipping. Pear cuts may also 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. There is substantial proportion variance when it comes to Pears. Some may prefer a longer and thinner Pear while others may prefer a “fatter” Pear shape. Since taste is subjective when it comes to these proportions, Pears are best judged individually rather than by stringent parameters.

Size Matters

Pear cuts generally look larger from the “face up” position than other shapes of the same carat weight. 1 ct. Pears can be found measuring 8mm long X 5mm wide compared to an average 6.5mm measurement for a 1 ct. Round Brilliant.

Basic Pear 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