Marquise 101
JANUARY 20, 2025
A Complete Guide to Marquise-Cut Diamonds
If you haven't heard yet, Actress/Singer Selena Gomez and Producer/Songwriter Benny Blanco are recently engaged. Selena posted to her Instagram on Wednesday, December 11 announcing the big news by showing off her stunning marquise-cut diamond ring with the caption "Forever begins now.."
Cheers to the Happy Couple
A Closer Look at Selena's Engagement Ring
We're absolutely obsessed with Selena's stunning sparkler: a solitaire marquise set on an elegant oval diamond eternity band. Although the exact carat details of the ring have yet to be released, we're eyeing between four and six carats.
The French Kiss
The History Behind the Marquise Cut
The marquise diamond has a storied history that dates back to 18th-century France when King Louis XV commissioned a diamond cut to take after the shape of his mistress, Jean Antoinette Poisson's lips.
The name "marquise" is derived from the French word for an aristocrat. In fact, King Louis XV's lover, Jean Antoinette Poisson, was titled the Marquise de Pompadour.
Today, the marquise diamond continues to captivate with its unique silhouette, offering a regal allure that harks back to its royal beginnings.
The marquise diamond has a storied history that dates back to 18th-century France when King Louis XV commissioned a diamond cut to take after the shape of his mistress, Jean Antoinette Poisson's lips.
The name "marquise" is derived from the French word for an aristocrat. In fact, King Louis XV's lover, Jean Antoinette Poisson, was titled the Marquise de Pompadour.
Today, the marquise diamond continues to captivate with its unique silhouette, offering a regal allure that harks back to its royal beginnings.
Rose-Cut vs Brilliant-Cut
While a 'marquise' refers to the shape of the stone, these can be selected in other 'cuts', the most sought after being either a marquise brilliant-cut stone or a marquise rose-cut stone. Keep reading to learn more about their differences!
What is a Rose-Cut Marquise Diamond?
Rose-cut diamonds, first popularized in the 16th century, feature a domed top adorned with triangular facets and a flat bottom, maximizing their surface area. This antique cut exudes a soft, romantic glow reminiscent of a rosebud in bloom, thanks to its petal-like spiral of facets. Known for their subtle brilliance, rose-cut diamonds often display warmer tones and a charming hint of yellow, adding to their vintage allure.
Origin & Evolution
Rose-cut diamonds first emerged in 16th-century India and gained popularity during the Victorian era, particularly for engagement rings. In recent years, these antique diamond cuts have experienced a resurgence in interest. With their triangular facets, subtle brilliance, and warm tones, rose-cut diamonds exude a vintage appeal that sets them apart.
Shape Variation
The rose cut's antique cutting technique allows for greater shape variation. Thanks to their flat base, rose-cut diamonds can be crafted into a wide range of shapes, including round, oval, pear, hexagon, and you guessed it, marquise, making them highly versatile and unique.
What is a Brilliant-Cut Marquise Diamond?
The brilliant-cut diamond is popular and timeless, designed to maximize sparkle and light reflection. It features a symmetrical arrangement of carefully crafted facets, which allow light to enter the stone and refract brilliantly back to the eye. This cut, most commonly associated with round diamonds, emphasizes brilliance and sparkle, making it a favorite choice for engagement rings and other fine jewelry. Its versatile design complements various styles, ensuring a dazzling centerpiece in any setting.
Origin & Evolution
The brilliant-cut diamond traces its origins to the 17th century, when the style was first introduced. Over the centuries, it has undergone refinements, evolving into the dazzling design we know today. Renowned for its ability to reflect light and maximize sparkle, the brilliant cut has become a beloved choice, blending timeless elegance with a contemporary appeal.
Maximum Sparkle
Brilliant-cut diamonds are celebrated for their mesmerizing sparkle and signature "spiral of petals" appearance, achieved through precisely crafted, larger facets. This meticulous cutting technique ensures exceptional brilliance and maximizes the diamond's ability to disperse light into a vibrant spectrum of colors, known as fire. The hallmark of a brilliant-cut diamond lies in its internal light reflection, creating a dazzling display that captivates in any setting.
Rose-cut diamonds, first popularized in the 16th century, feature a domed top adorned with triangular facets and a flat bottom, maximizing their surface area. This antique cut exudes a soft, romantic glow reminiscent of a rosebud in bloom, thanks to its petal-like spiral of facets. Known for their subtle brilliance, rose-cut diamonds often display warmer tones and a charming hint of yellow, adding to their vintage allure.
What is a Rose-Cut Marquise Diamond?
Rose-cut diamonds first emerged in 16th-century India and gained popularity during the Victorian era, particularly for engagement rings. In recent years, these antique diamond cuts have experienced a resurgence in interest. With their triangular facets, subtle brilliance, and warm tones, rose-cut diamonds exude a vintage appeal that sets them apart.
Origin & Evolution
The rose cut's antique cutting technique allows for greater shape variation. Thanks to their flat base, rose-cut diamonds can be crafted into a wide range of shapes, including round, oval, pear, hexagon, and you guessed it, marquise, making them highly versatile and unique.
Shape Variation
The brilliant-cut diamond is popular and timeless, designed to maximize sparkle and light reflection. It features a symmetrical arrangement of carefully crafted facets, which allow light to enter the stone and refract brilliantly back to the eye. This cut, most commonly associated with round diamonds, emphasizes brilliance and sparkle, making it a favorite choice for engagement rings and other fine jewelry. Its versatile design complements various styles, ensuring a dazzling centerpiece in any setting.
What is a Brilliant-Cut Marquise Diamond?
The brilliant-cut diamond traces its origins to the 17th century, when the style was first introduced. Over the centuries, it has undergone refinements, evolving into the dazzling design we know today. Renowned for its ability to reflect light and maximize sparkle, the brilliant cut has become a beloved choice, blending timeless elegance with a contemporary appeal.
Origin & Evolution
Pros
Elongating & Slimming
The marquise's distinctive shape is ideal for creating the illusion of longer, slimmer fingers, making it a popular choice for engagement rings and statement pieces.
Maximized Carat Weight for Larger Looking Diamond
If you're looking for something bold and dinstinctive, the marquise cut diamond is a great choice for you. Its elongated silhouette not only exudes drama but also maximizes carat weight, making the diamond appear impressively larger than other cuts.
Cons
The Bowtie Effect
The marquise cut is susceptible to the bowtie effect, which happens when light fails to reflect properly in the center of the diamond due to its unique shape. Keep this bowtie effect in mind when shopping for a marquise diamond. Some don't mind it, but others prefer to choose a diamond that minimizes the visibility of this dark, bowtie-shaped outline, which can be seen when looking directly down through the table facet of the stone... it's all about personal preference!
Marquise-cut diamonds are stepping back into the spotlight, and it's not just because Selena’s stunning stone has everyone talking. Known for their elongating effect, graceful silhouette, and undeniable vintage charm, these diamonds are quickly becoming a favorite among modern brides seeking something unique yet timeless.
But there's more to the marquise cut than its stunning appearance. Its rich history, dating back to 18th-century French royalty, adds an extra layer of romance to its allure. Curious to learn more? Keep reading as we dive into the origins of the marquise cut, weigh its pros and cons, and share some of our favorite marquise pieces from Anna Sheffield Jewelry.
Brilliant-cut diamonds are celebrated for their mesmerizing sparkle and signature "spiral of petals" appearance, achieved through precisely crafted, larger facets. This meticulous cutting technique ensures exceptional brilliance and maximizes the diamond's ability to disperse light into a vibrant spectrum of colors, known as fire. The hallmark of a brilliant-cut diamond lies in its internal light reflection, creating a dazzling display that captivates in any setting.
Maximum Sparkle
Our Marquise Picks
Shop Our Favorite ASJ Marquise-Cuts
Marquise Bea Solitaire Ring
Marquise Bea Ring
Marquise Bea Halo Ring
Toi Et Moi Ring
East/West Bezel Rosette Ring
Marquise Bea Ring