Marquise Cut Diamond
By Jared James ยท Last updated 21 May 2026
Quick answer
A marquise diamond is a long brilliant-cut shape with two gently pointed tips, and it gives you one of the largest face-up looks you can get for the carat weight, so it always makes a statement. The trade-off is that it needs excellent symmetry, a bow tie you can live with and tips that are properly protected, so choose it when you want length, drama and presence.
Shape at a glance
| Detail | Typical detail | Buying note |
|---|---|---|
| Facet pattern | Modified brilliant with two pointed ends. | That long outline makes symmetry and tip protection matter more than they do on a rounder shape. |
| Typical ratio | Around 1.75 to 2.25, with 1.85 to 2.00 reading balanced to many buyers. | Lower ratios feel fuller and softer, while higher ratios feel more dramatic and slender. |
| Sparkle | Bright when well cut, with possible bow tie through the centre. | Steer clear of stones with a heavy dark bow tie or two halves that do not quite match. |
| Best for | Solitaire rings, east-west settings, toi et moi designs and vintage-inspired rings. | Choose marquise when you want the centre stone to lead the whole design. |
What is a Marquise Cut Diamond?
A marquise diamond is an elongated brilliant cut with gently curved sides that taper to a point at each end. Because the shape spreads right across the finger, it tends to look visually large for its carat weight.
The outline is so distinctive that small symmetry issues have nowhere to hide, so both tips should line up on the same centre line and both curved sides should mirror each other cleanly.
The story behind the marquise cut
The marquise cut has one of the better origin stories in jewellery. Around the middle of the eighteenth century, King Louis XV of France asked his jewellers for a diamond cut to echo the shape of the smile of his favourite, Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, better known as the Marquise de Pompadour, and the long, gently pointed shape they came back with has carried her title ever since.
You will also hear the shape called a navette, which is French for little boat, a nod to the way the curved sides and pointed tips trace the outline of a hull. Whichever name you use, the marquise has held on to its association with the French court and a certain quiet grandeur, and that is part of why it still feels like such a statement on the hand today.
What to check before choosing
Inspect symmetry first
The two tips should sit on the same centre line and the curved sides should match each other, because a marquise that is even slightly lopsided is very hard to disguise once it is in a setting.
Check the bow tie
A little shadow through the centre is normal in any elongated brilliant cut, so what you are really looking out for is a strong dark band that makes the stone look split in half across the middle.
Protect the tips
The pointed tips are the most vulnerable part of the shape, so look for V-prongs, a bezel or another protective detail that physically covers each point for daily wear.
Settings that suit this shape
- A north-south solitaire, with the marquise running along the finger, gives the most lengthening effect.
- Turning the marquise east-west, so it sits across the finger, feels more modern and spreads the stone in a different way.
- A toi et moi design pairs the marquise with a pear, oval or round stone, which makes the most of its sculptural outline.
Who does marquise suit?
Marquise suits anyone who wants a diamond shape with movement, length and a clear personality. It is a lovely choice when the ring design is meant to feel sculptural and a little different.
Watch for
- Unprotected tips can chip if the ring catches on something, so the setting has to do its job.
- A strong bow tie can leave the middle of the stone looking dull and shadowed.
- A very long ratio can feel a little fragile or too sharp on some hands, so try a few lengths on.
Watch: thinking of buying a marquise?
A quick look at what to weigh up before you choose a marquise cut diamond.
Other diamond shapes
- #01
Round
If you want the most sparkle and the easiest stones to compare, the round brilliant is the shape to reach for. It is also the only common diamond shape that comes with a proper cut grade, so settle on cut quality first and then choose colour and clarity grades that still look clean and bright once the stone is set.
- #02
Oval
An oval diamond gives you a larger, more lengthening look than a round diamond of a similar weight, and it keeps the bright sparkle pattern of a brilliant cut. There is no single cut grade that tells you whether an oval is a good one, so the things to look at are the bow tie, the length-to-width ratio, the shape of the shoulders and how evenly the two ends mirror each other.
- #03
Emerald Cut
An emerald cut diamond is a step cut, which means it has long, open facets and neatly clipped corners, and it gives you a rectangular outline with broad flashes of light rather than the fast glitter of a brilliant cut. Clarity, colour and ratio all show up more clearly here than in other shapes, so most buyers start at VS1 or VS2 clarity, G colour or better, and a length-to-width ratio somewhere between 1.40 and 1.55 for a balanced, classic look.
- #04
Cushion Cut
A cushion cut diamond has a square or rectangular outline with soft, rounded corners, and depending on the facet pattern it can look antique, modern, chunky or crushed ice. Many buyers find themselves choosing between a true square cushion at a ratio close to 1.00 and an elongated cushion somewhere around 1.15 to 1.30, so it helps to decide the sparkle style and the outline you want first, then compare colour, depth and setting from there.
- #05
Pear
A pear shaped diamond, sometimes called a teardrop diamond, has one rounded end and one gently pointed tip. The things worth checking are the length-to-width ratio, which most buyers like somewhere between 1.50 and 1.70, the point alignment, the bow tie effect through the centre, and the prongs that keep the tip protected. Choose pear if you want an elongated shape with a little more softness than a marquise.
- #06
Princess Cut
A princess cut diamond is a square brilliant cut with sharp, uncut corners and plenty of sparkle. It is often called a square diamond, and it is a popular modern alternative to a round brilliant that usually costs a little less per carat. The one practical catch is that the sharp corners need protecting from chips, so look for V-prongs or a bezel, and keep an eye on face-up size, symmetry and colour near the edges.
- #07
Radiant Cut
A radiant cut diamond pairs a square or rectangular outline with cropped corners and brilliant-style facets. It gives more sparkle than an emerald cut and has softer corners than a princess cut, so it suits anyone who wants geometry without giving up brightness. The first thing to decide is whether you want a square radiant at a ratio close to 1.00 or an elongated one at 1.15 to 1.35, and from there you can check the centre brightness and the facet pattern.
- #08
Asscher
An asscher cut diamond is a square step cut with cropped corners and long, parallel facets that draw the eye down into the stone, giving the deep, concentric hall of mirrors look the shape is known for. It is essentially a square version of the emerald cut, so the same things matter most: clarity sits on show through the open facets, body colour can be visible, and you want a ratio close to square at around 1.00 to 1.05.
- #09
Old Mine
An old mine cut diamond is an antique cushion-shaped cut, hand-cut from roughly the early 1700s through to the late 1800s, long before electric light and modern faceting. It has a soft, squarish outline, a tall crown, a small table and a large open culet that shows as a little circle in the centre, and it was cut to glow under candlelight rather than to throw out the bright sparkle of a modern brilliant. No two are quite alike, so each stone is judged on its own.
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View marquise ringsFrequently asked questions
- Why is it called a marquise cut?
- The marquise cut is named after Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, the Marquise de Pompadour. King Louis XV of France is said to have asked his jewellers to cut a diamond in the shape of her smile, and the elongated, pointed shape has carried her title ever since. It is also known as the navette, French for little boat.
- Do marquise diamonds look bigger?
- They often do look larger from above, because the weight is spread out along the finger rather than packed into a compact outline. Compare the millimetre dimensions as well as the carat weight so you know what you are getting.
- Are marquise diamonds fragile?
- The diamond itself is just as hard-wearing as any other shape, but the pointed tips do need protecting, so V-prongs or a bezel are important for a ring you will wear every day.
- What setting suits a marquise diamond?
- Solitaires, east-west settings, halos and toi et moi rings all suit a marquise beautifully, as long as the tips are protected.
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