Choosing the right Lab-Grown Marquise Diamond

One of the most popular fancy shapes for diamonds, the Marquise sports an unmistakable football-shaped outline that is striking from afar, making it a popular choice for diamond engagement rings. 

But choosing this diamond requires, and we say this with only a little trepidation, some greater knowledge and understanding than other shapes. 

What are marquise diamonds? 

While these oblong and double pointed stones may not be as obviously romantic as heart shaped diamonds, marquise diamonds have a subtle, almost sultry romance. Not least because of their famous origin story, from which they also derive their royal pedigree. 

This affair, ahem, is one of the most famous royal romances of all time, that of the 18th century French king, Louis XV and his mistress, Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, also known as Madame de Pompadour. 

According to history, the king, smitten with his mistress, gave her a noble title, the Marquise de Pompadour. 

According to legend, he was still so smitten later on, that he had a diamond shape commissioned resembling the delicate curve of her lips, hence the name, “Marquise.” 

However, that legend may not hold a point. 

During the Victorian era these diamonds were very popular, especially by aristocracy, though at that time they were named a “navette” diamond. Navette is an old french term meaning “little boat.” While “little boat,” might have been a perfectly accurate way to describe this shape, it certainly doesn’t have the glamor or romance of the tale of Madame de Pompadour and Louis XV. 

We continue to research the history of this magnificent diamond, and look forward to sharing more of it with you in the future. 

How popular are marquise diamonds today? 

Marquise diamonds are statement pieces, though how dramatic the effect is entirely up to your choice of diamond and setting. 

Perhaps they reflect your larger-than-life personality, or your edgy glamor; how you spice up your life and the life of everyone around you. After all, celebrities like Catherine Zeta-Jones and Victoria Beckham both have marquise engagement rings.

If you read a lot of blogs, articles and literature about them, you might learn that if you choose a marquise cut diamond then it shows how confident and innovative you are, how fashionable, and how well admired by your peers. We’ve even seen it written that this diamond means that “All those who meet you say ‘she’s really special,” and that it shows you have an enormous amount of internal and external strength. 

And all that might be true, for some people. But, at Michael Gabriels we simply see someone falling in love with a stone, and we can’t really say if there is anything more to it than that. 

Of course there are some real points to be made about the special nature of marquise shaped diamonds; here are 5 that stand out. 

1)They have a decidedly fairy-like quality that you can use to make a fairytale engagement ring. 

2)They have a regal history and claim to fame. 

3)They have romance, an attribute they are considerably invested with. 

4)Yet while they are certainly one of the fancy shapes with a substantially unique character, you can easily get a timeless look with a marquise cut diamond. 

5)Moreover, they make fingers look longer and more elegant, making it a popular choice for rings, especially engagement rings. 

Why not choose a marquise? 

We would love to say that if you like the unique shape of marquise diamonds, then there is a way to go for it, whatever the circumstances. 

So we will. 

That being said, you should be aware that like all diamonds, they have some limitations and weaknesses. 

One limitation is simply their rarity. Finding good specimens can mean going through many, many diamonds to find the right one. 

The most common weakness faced by marquise shaped diamonds is that their points are rather fragile, and there is the possibility of fracture or even breaking off under certain circumstances. 

There are plenty of ways to minimize this danger though, such as choosing the right stone, and the right setting. 

As for the solution to their rarity, we’ll discuss how you can avoid having to view a hundred stones before you find the right one later on down in this article. 

What do you need to know, and how do you choose a marquise?

To choose the right marquise diamond for you, keep in mind that marquises have a rather unique anatomy compared to other fancy shaped diamonds. 

H3. Parts of a marquise

Belly: At the center of the diamond is the belly, where the sides bow out the most. This is where the width of the diamond is measured. 

Points: these are the tippy ends, between which the length of the diamond is measured.

Wings: The parts of the diamond between the belly in the middle and the points at the ends.

Girdle: As in all diamonds, the girdle is the faceted plain running around the diamond where the crown on the top of the diamond and the pavilion on the bottom meet. It is the widest point of the diamond from any horizontal view point. 

Brilliant cut marquise diamonds most often have scalloped girdles, which are faceted with hills and valleys, as opposed to one long facet wrapping around. This not only adds a pleasant texture, but helps stabilize the girdle and prevent fracture. 

You might be asking, how fragile are the girdles on marquise diamonds? 

The problem of a fragile girdle is especially poignant in marquise diamonds. The normal rule is that a girdle which is too thick adds too much weight to stone without increasing its apparent size. However in marquise diamonds, even an only moderately thin girdle may be too thin, and therefore too fragile. It is ok to go for a slightly thick girdle. 

Keel line: The line that runs the length of the diamonds underside, passing through the culet in the center.  

Marquise diamond proportions 

In order to get the most brilliant optical effects from your diamond there are some preferred proportions for marquise shape stones. 

A proportion of around 2:1, meaning twice as long as it is wide, is considered optimal, or nearly so. 

A diamond at 1.5:1 is too short, and may not present as much brilliance or scintillation, while the same is true of one at 2.7:1, which is too long.  At Michael Gabriels our preferred range is 1.8:1 to 2.2:1. 

What is the best proportion for Marquise Cut Diamonds? 

At the end of the day, it is your personal preference, your unique engagement ring, and not someone else's (like your mother…). 

A length to width ratio between 1.8:1 and 2.2:1 is commonly considered the most pleasing for center stones, and most side stones and accent stones as well. 

However, that doesn’t mean you have to follow those rules if you prefer something else. A more squat or more elongated shape might be perfect for the elaborate floral arrangement cluster or canoe-on-a-river (with the marquise in an east-west setting on a two toned band resembling a cascading river) you imagined. 

Symmetry in marquises

Cut, one of the most important of the 4 Cs, is normally not graded on marquise diamonds, but that does not mean it cannot be evaluated. The most important point is that it has to have symmetry. 

The best way to evaluate that is by drawing on the diamond. 

Take a marker, a dry erase marker is best (though even permanent markers can be removed from a diamond,) and draw a line along the crown and table of the diamond from point to point, and then another across the belly. If each quadrant is exactly the same, the diamond is symmetrical. 

If your jeweler would prefer you to not draw on the stone, just try to imagine the lines. 

The Bow Tie Effect

Bowties are common in many fancy shapes, including marquise diamonds. They are so common in fact, that a lack of one could arouse suspicion. If it has none, that might mean the diamond is too dull and lacks brightness, or it might not be a diamond at all. 

The simple explanation for why a bowtie occurs when you look down at a diamond is because your own head is blocking the light. That is “reflected” in the diamond. This is due to the natural optical properties of the diamond to refract and reflect light, and how well it was cut to optimize those qualities. A well-cut marquise will have a small, exactly proportional bowtie, whereas a poorly cut diamond may have a larger, possibly skewed bowtie. 

Do marquise diamonds look bigger? 

One of the greatest advantages of marquise diamonds is that they tend to look larger than many other shapes. That’s because they have a larger surface area relative to carat size. A 2 carat marquise diamond is already the size of a turkish pistachio. A 4.5 carat marquise is already as large as a california almond and dramatically larger than a round brilliant of equal carat weight. 

Marquise Diamond Engagement Ring Settings

Marquise diamond rings are an obvious and gorgeous choice for engagement rings, though as we mentioned before, they do have some weakness at the points and the girdle, so it's important to protect them with the right kind of prongs, claws or bezel. 

Obviously, a bezel setting will protect the diamond the most, but it will also limit the amount of light that gets into the stone. 

V-shape prongs at each tip can help prevent fracture or breaking. 

The oblong and pointed shape works equally great with bands and settings that are more geometric or architectural, and ones that are more pastoral and organic. 

Basically, you can use it to make anything from a Picasso to Botticelli, and it will look absolutely stunning. 

They also look sensational on pave bands, double or split bands and v-shaped split bands that can have a more dramatic effect with the greater length of a marquise stone. 

One of the most popular and agreable looks is with trillium, pear or heart shaped side stones. Since these also carry a lot more size per weight than other cuts, their addition dramatically scales up the presentation of your engagement ring.

Marquise engagement rings with the center stone set at an angle are growing in popularity as people experiment with how they can exhibit these unique stones. 

They work well with contrasts, such as a white gold band with channel set princess diamonds. 

Lab-grown marquise diamonds

Today diamonds are produced through two methods, mining, and growing the diamond crystals in a laboratory. Pure carbon, the element that makes up diamonds, turns into the recognizable hard, clear crystal at the right temperature and pressure, which can either happen within the earth or in a laboratory. 

Lab-created diamonds have many advantages over mined ones. While they are exactly the same in every chemical, physical and optical aspect, lab-grown diamonds are much more affordable. Consumers therefore have a greater dimension of options for carat size, cut, clarity and color, not to mention the band and setting. Moreover, for the conscientious buyer, lab-grown are the preferred form of diamond, since they do not contribute to conflict and bloodshed, and have a marginal impact on land and water compared to mined diamonds.  

At Michael Gabriels

How to find the right marquise diamond?

At Michael Gabriels we have a solution to the problem we mentioned earlier in this article; that one limitation of marquise diamonds is their rarity, so you may have to view a great deal of them before you find the one that suits you best. 

In our process at Michael Gabriels we ask for your preferred 4 Cs specifications, then we go through our available inventory to curate a selection of the best examples we can give you. 

Why do we do this? 

Because in this family-run business we have nearly 100 years of experience we’ll put at your disposal to help you not only find the perfect diamond, but also the perfect setting to put it in. 

We specialize in both bespoke and customized lab-grown diamond jewelry, especially engagement rings. Check out our collection of lab-diamond engagement rings that are all customizable to suit your particular tastes and needs, inquire about designing and producing your perfect bespoke diamond ring or jewelry, or contact us directly with any question you may have. We will be very happy to help you and answer any questions you may have.