Oval Cut Diamond Buying Guide

Excibiting similar brilliance as the round diamond, the oval cut is an exquisite choice for those who like elongated shapes and care for the size. Oval is one of the «unbreakable» cuts because it doesn’t have any pointed edges, which makes it harder for the diamond to break or chip. The diamonds of this shape look longer and wider than many other gemstones because of the surface size.

For oval diamonds, proportions are everything. Ovals tend to look bigger than round diamonds of the same size due to its elongated shape. Depending on the ratio and measurements, they can either appear elegant or look like slightly stretched round brilliant. For an excellent cut quality, the gemstone should have the depth percentage in the range from 55% to 63%, with the table percentage ranging from 52% to 63%. The optimal length-to-width ratio for a diamond is from 1.30 to 1.50. The choice depends on how elongated the desirable gemstone should appear.

Oval diamonds with a poor cut quality tend to have the bowtie effect, similar to marquise cuts and pear shapes. The dark area in the shape of a bowtie may appear in the center of the stone from a table-up view due to uneven light distribution in the facets. The only way to avoid the bowtie is to inspect the diamond itself and look at the measurement numbers in the diamond grading report.