Pear Cut Diamond: How To Choose One

 

If your heart's desire is to get a pear cut diamond here's what you need to know so you love your ring year after year.  

Fancy cut diamonds are what you call any shape that isn't a round brilliant. Pear cut diamonds come in a variety of proportions. Most people gravitate toward a length-to-width ratio that ranges between 1.50-1.75:1. Here are some tips that can help when buying a pear cut diamond.

An important thing to check when you are buying a pear cut diamond is to examine the point to make sure it is clear of inclusions and you'll also want to make sure the color isn't too concentrated here. 

Check the wings on each side of the point and see if they are symmetrical. The rounded end of course should also be checked to make sure it appears like a semi-circle. As with any long shape such as oval and marquise, pear cut diamonds are also susceptible to the effect known as the “bow tie.” Ideally this effect should not be too pronounced, though avoiding it altogether is unlikely.

If you are going to choose a prong type setting make sure it's one that has a V-shaped prong at the point. It's just a little extra protection to prevent damage to the point, which as you can imagine is the most vulnerable part of a pear cut diamond.

 

The pear cut, pear shaped, or teardrop diamond is a a shape that has been used for hundreds of years. Often said to be timeless this vintage cut represents an emotional bond or connection. Like a round cut diamond, it is a brilliant cut known for high sparkle. These loose diamonds are shaped like a teardrop rather than a pear and combine the best attributes of the well known round brilliant cut and the lesser known marquise cut diamonds. Diamonds are often described as icy or flowing like water. The pear cut combines these two ideas perfectly concept. The pear cut diamond is long and many people choose this shape as they consider that it can make a finger look more slender. Pear cut diamonds can be short or long, depending on their length to width ratio. Many people find the optimal length to width ratio to be around 1.50:1.00. Symmetry is of course a very important characteristic in pear shapes. Lack of symmetry is much more of  a problem in pear cut diamonds than it is in other fancy shapes. The location of any inclusions is equally important. 

Pear cut diamonds, like other fancy shapes, have a lower cost per carat when compared to other shapes of diamonds. Round diamonds have greater rough diamond wastage. Because rough diamonds have odd, long shapes, pear cut diamonds are able to use more of this precious raw material. Pear diamonds do a good job of distributing carat weight in the length of the diamond, which allows the diamond to look larger than other shapes such as princess or cushion at the same carat weight. Therefore, a 1 carat pear shaped diamond will be about 8.5 x 5.5 mm versus a 1 carat round cut diamond, which will be about 6.4 mm.

But though pear diamonds effectively use the rough, it's still harder to find raw material big enough to make larger diamonds. That means you shouldn't expect a 2 carat pear shaped diamond to be simply double the cost of a 1 carat. The price of a 2 carat stone can vary widely depending on the other qualities of the stone. If you're not sure where to start when shopping for a loose diamond, don't hesitate to use my diamond concierge service. I'll try to maximize your budget to get the best diamond and engagement ring possible, without breaking the bank.