A Truly Royal Cut: the History and Key Facts about the Marquise Cut Engagement Rings

Not every stone cut has a very intriguing or romantic underlying story, but a marquise is one of these special cuts that harbors more than meets the eye. The cut was created by a royal for his loved one, the cut possesses some important benefits you have to know, and it has not been on the fashion radars for a while, so it looks fresh and exciting right now. What’s not to love about it?

So now it’s emerging from the relative obscurity, and it’s high time you pay attention to this cool cut. With our guide to its basics and intricacies at hand, you’ll know for sure what to look for in a truly perfect marquise cut. And maybe, you’ll consider getting a marquise cut engagement ring rather seriously!  

A Royal Affair Cut in Stone

As the legend has it, this special cut was custom-designed at the demand of Louis XV, the French king, and the purpose of the cut was to imitate the perfect shape of the delicate mouth of Marquise de Pompadour, the official mistress of the king. You’ve probably heard her name at least once; she was known for her beauty, intelligence, and patronage of the arts, and if the portraits are true to life, her smile was really charming. No wonder the king wanted to immortalize it in stone.  Hence the cut got its name of ‘marquise.’ 

Whether it’s true or just a bit of glamorous legend, the cut itself is very elegant and delicate. It resembles a simplified almond lip shape, an eye shape, or even a small narrow boat. It’s stretched from North to South and features sharp ends, so overall, its look is slender and elongated.

Another name of the cut, a navette, which actually means ‘a small boat or ship,’ comes from the Edwardian era when rowing and sailing were all the rage among nobility and every self-respecting gentleman owned a small yacht. The popularity of navette cut engagement ring styles surged during those times due to its boat-like shape and continued well into the Roaring Twenties with its distinct architectural look. 

Another resurgence of popularity of the cut peaked in the 1970s, when all things disco and those resembling the 18th century were blended into a wild mix. 

And now the stone again comes back from relative obscurity and wins hearts with its sleek modern-looking shape and fresh look in the rings. It’s a big plus in times when people look for something unique, authentic and meaningful. 

Refinement and Complexity: Key Characteristics of the Marquise Cut

The unusual shape of this cut allows creating the maximum possible number of facets (57 or 58), which makes the stone absolutely brilliant and rich in fire. It’s a brilliant cut that consists of triangular and kite-shaped facets which bounce the light infinitely, thus creating the mesmerizing endless sparkle. 

The pavilion of the marquise can feature 4, 6 or 8 main facets, depending on the size and exact  length-to-width ratio of the given stone.

The proportions of the marquise are one of the most important features of this cut. Since the stone is elongated, of almond or oval shape with two sharp points at the narrower ends, its length is different from its width. And it is this ratio that makes the stone look slender and crisp or plump and vintage-looking. The perfect ratio is one to two, i.e. the length equals two widths. The closest ratios offered on the market are 1.80 to 2.10, so if you see this marking, the stone is practically perfect in this regard. 

Yet it’s all a matter of taste, and if you want the marquise shape but a chunkier look or a smooth halo around the stone, a more rounded shape is the best. The marking for the plumper stone will be something like from 1.75 to 1.85. 

Symbolism and Meaning behind the Marquise Cut

As you can rightly guess, if the cut was designed for the king to devote to his beloved lady, the marquise diamond ring meaning is everlasting love and romantic infatuation. Yet due to its royal origin and the Marquise being the trendsetter of her time, the cut also came to mean refinement and regal elegance. And indeed, it does look special and stands out in any jewelry combination. 

It is not a surprise that some of the chicest and impeccably dressed celebrities choose a marquise cut for their engagement rings (of which later, though). 

Plus, the slender and elongated shape looks stylish in any fashionable environment. It transcends trends and reigns supreme through decades and centuries. It speaks a lot about the cut symbolism and magnetic appeal. 

Key Advantages of the Marquise Cut

Now that we know what is marquise cut diamond and why it got its name, let’s look into some strong and weak sides of this stone. We'll start with the advantages.

• The elongated boatlike shape of a marquise looks advantageous on various types of fingers and makes them look longer. That's under the condition that  the stone placement is North-South. If you want to give more substance to your slim fingers or want an outstanding and unusual design, try the East-West placement. 
• It’s interesting that the marquise cut makes a stone look larger than it actually is. So with the same carat weight, a marquise stone will look bigger than a round brilliant one. This reason alone is often cited as the main advantage that should nudge you towards the purchase, but we’re talking about style and elegance, not just the finger coverage. 
• Reasonably, the cost of a marquise cut stone will be around 30% lower than that of a round brilliant stone. 
• The uniqueness and appeal of the marquise cut is hard to overestimate. It will never go unnoticed, and any setting will complement it but never overpower. Even the minimalist solitaire setting will look fresh and contemporary with a marquise stone.

Key Disadvantages of the Marquise Cut

When you’re weighing marquise cut pros and cons it’s important not to overlook some concerns that come with this elegant stone.

• The sharp points on narrow ends of a marquise need extra protection because they can chip easily. 
• A girdle (the side rim running around the stone) plays an important role in the brilliance of a marquise, and when too thick, it can reduce the sparkle. But when too thin, it chips and scratches easily, especially at the points, thus ruining the appearance of the stone. So going on the slightly thicker side is advisable, because chipped girth is a much bigger problem than slightly reduced area of the stone table and facets.
• A perfect stone with the desired ratio and pricing may not be easy to spot, but with an experienced jeweler and a trusted jewelry house, the problem of search will be reduced to a minimum.
• A marquise is a tricky stone to evaluate and describe, so don’t judge it based on the 4Cs in the certificate only. Always look at the stone in person to see the sparkle, the fire, and the general symmetry and appeal of the stone.

A Frame for a Royal Stone: the Best Settings for a Marquise 

A marquise cut is so impressive that it looks great in any type of setting, from simple to dramatic. The only precaution is that marquise diamond settings need to protect the pointed tips of the stone, because they can chip from some kind of impact. Placing a pair of protective prongs over these tips does the job, while you can play with variations of setting design as much as you want. 

Jewelers at YourAsteria know about this particularity of the cut very well, that’s why each handcrafted ring features these protective prongs. You should enjoy wearing your engagement ring, not worry about it.  

1. You can put a marquise into a solitaire setting in a traditional North-South way, with a simple or a fancier band, and get a ring that will stand out immediately. Place it in the East-West direction, and the ring becomes more robust, with a hint of historical flair. But this historical reference looks cool and contemporary.
2. A marquise looks amazing in a halo, similarly to pear-shaped styles. If you plan to put a halo around the marquise, choose a stone that's plump, with a lower width-to-length ratio. Then the halo will run smoothly around its shape,  adding more bling and wow-effect.
3. The opulent Art Deco is impossible to imagine with the marquise-cut rings. Larger and smaller stones made the focal points of intricate geometrical compositions, sparkle in the halos of smaller diamonds, and tell stories of exotic lands, antique treasures and eternal desire for progress. 
4. Three-stone rings. These rings, sometimes called ‘trilogy’, symbolize the past, present and the future of the couple, that's why they are so popular as engagement rings. When a streamlined and bold marquise stone is flanked by two smaller sparkling drops, the visual effect is just stunning.
5. Eternity band. You can choose this type of ring as a wedding band and as an engagement ring, no rules apply here. An eternity band means a row of stones that runs around the band without interruptions, symbolizing the endless love and commitment. In an eternity band, marquise stones are set East-West interchangeably with small round stones. The design becomes more subtle and refined, with almond-shaped marquises making the ring look really flowing and endless.
6. Crown ring. This design is more of a recent introduction but it has already won hearts and minds of couples around the world. In this setting, stones are arranged into a fan-like or crown-like shape, rising like a big halo towards the finger’s end. Marquises are especially suitable for the crown setting because their pointed ends fit snugly together, while wider middle areas expand graciously into a sparkling semi-circle. 

A Company Fit for a Marquise: How It Fares vs Other Popular Stone Cuts

According to bridal fashion experts, a marquise cut has been confidently holding its position behind round, oval, and emerald cuts, but now it moves closer to the top. 

What’s the difference between cuts outside their looks, you may wonder? Well, there are some subtleties, but generally, it is exactly the appearance and the pricing that you need to consider when choosing the stone. 

Round, oval, and marquise cuts all belong to the family of brilliant cuts: they all have the megawatt sparkle and fire, and that’s why they are so popular. An emerald cut is a different story, because its look is more restrained and profound, it showcases the clearwater depth of excellent transparent stones and creates the hall-of-mirrors effect.  

• The marquise cut vs round cut diamond comparison is mostly about the shape. Both cuts have excellent sparkle and fire effect (the round one shining a bit more, to be honest), they both feature 58 facets, so it's a matter of taste. Additionally, the price tag for a marquise stone will be around 30% lower than that of a round stone of the same quality and weight. 
• A marquise cut vs oval cut comparison is more complicated because both are elongated and have similar visual impact. Yet again, due to extended pointed ends, a marquise cut looks bigger and bolder. Plus, it’s a newer style, so it looks unique and contemporary.
• A marquise and an emerald cut belong to different cut families, so their looks are far from each other. The only similarity is the elongated shape. A marquise is ‘oval’, so to speak, and an emerald is rectangular. The difference in the sparkling department is radical, where a marquise literally emits light and an emerald harbors it within and requires a closer look to reveal it. 

The Right Way to Choose and Buy a Marquise Cut Ring

A marquise diamond is evaluated according to 4Cs: color, clarity, cut, and carat. So before paying for the stone, check these parameters in a certificate to know that you get the value for your money. 

Yet with a marquise, there’s a catch. Since the cut is really unique, the 4Cs won’t tell you everything about the stone.  So it’s necessary to see the stone with your own eyes to decide. Here’s a short marquise cut diamond buying guide for you to follow:

• Symmetry. A stone needs to be perfectly symmetrical. If the symmetry is off, the stone will lose a lot of its sparkle. So if the stone looks dull or somewhat lopsided, it may be the case. Always choose in person or at least ask for a video that shows your stone in movement, shot from various angles and sides. 
• Black-tie effect. This specific cut works differently with different diamonds, and in the central part of a ready stone there may appear a visual black butterfly or a black-tie shape when the light hits it. This is not the feature, it’s a cutting flaw, so this stone is not worth your money. 
• Plumpness of the stone.  It’s purely a subjective matter, since you may want a slimmer or a wider central stone. Ask about the stone ratio and decide whether you want to choose a wider or a narrower marquise. 
• Secure prongs that protect the ends.  It’s a must. If you buy a ready-made ring, check that the prongs cover the tips of the stone. If you design a ring, include these prongs into your design obligatorily. 
• Collaborate with reputable jewelry houses where in-house jewelers will tell you in detail about the stone and will help to choose the optimal - and the prettiest - model without breaking the bank. YourAsteria  offers an exquisite contemporary collection of marquise rings to choose from, and we will be glad to help you create a ring of your dreams, from designing to handcrafting every single detail. 

Celebs Also Love a Perfect Marquise Engagement Ring

It’s no surprise that some celebrities who definitely know all the ins and outs of fashion now choose a marquise cut for engagement rings. Need some loud names? Cue Selena Gomez, Jennifer Lopez, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Victoria Beckham, and Portia de Rossi. 

Some ladies with means and style have a whole collection of breathtaking  wedding jewelry, but they take care to include a marquise engagement ring into the stash. Let’s mention (with deep respect) the legendary First Lady Jackie Kennedy, who owned the whopping 40-carat marquise diamond engagement ring. 

So if you are trying to figure out whether a marquise ring is that important and cool, then yes, it definitely is. The marquise cut history confirms it.

Basic Care and Maintenance Tips

If you choose a diamond marquise, you get a very durable and tough stone, but still, there are extra steps to take to be sure your stone is safe. 

• Choose a safe setting with end prongs to protect the tips. 
• Make sure that your stone is firmly fixed in place.
• Don’t wear the ring when you do some active handwork, like gardening, or go for an exercise. This is as much a marquise engagement ring care tip as it is a general rule for other precious rings. 
• Give it a gentle cleaning with slightly soapy water and a soft cloth now and then.
• Every six months book a professional checkup and maintenance session for your ring with a trusted jeweler. The professional will inspect the ring and make sure that everything is in place and will give it a proper cleaning and a nice polish to make it shine like on the wonderful day of proposal.

Conclusion 

Marquise rings are becoming all the rage and they deserve to shine on your finger on the special day. They have their pros and cons, but what is indisputable is that they are unique and amazingly beautiful. So you can confidently choose a marquise for your engagement ring and be sure that it will stand the test of time. 

Just choose a ring from a reputable jewelry house or have the ring made by jewellers who know everything about this interesting cut. Then you’ll own a wonderful piece that will symbolize how special - and regal - your love story is.