Is the Pear Engagement Ring Cut Right for You?

A fancy engagement ring cut is a way of cutting a stone to maximise the carat weight. Fancy cuts are generally appreciated for taking the best attributes of the rough diamond and eliminating any inclusions and blemishes. Good examples include the marquise, heart, oval and princess cuts but the pear cut has a special timeless elegance.

A Flemish polisher called Lodewyk van Berquem created the first pear cut diamond. He lived in Brugge, Belgium, and produced his unique diamond in 1458. Diamonds were becoming extremely popular as ornaments in jewellery in the 1400s and the different techniques and styles of diamond cut, such as the pear cut diamond, were highly popular during the Renaissance period. Lodewyk is also credited for creating the 137-carat Florentine Diamond for the powerful Valois family. In order to produce this beauty he invented a diamond polishing wheel called a scaif and introduced the concept of using absolute symmetry in the placements of facets on the stone.

This popular engagement ring cut, although initially disliked by diamond cutters is technically a hybrid cut. Best described as being one half oval and the other half marquise, it combines the brilliance and design of both, creating a pear-shaped or teardrop-shaped diamond. As a result this engagement ring cut is pointed at one end and round at the other.

This unique, yet elegant cut has no table, cutlet or edge but tends to be covered with long triangular shaped facets. Ideally, pear cut diamonds have 58 facets, although the number of pavilion facets may range from 4 to 8. When considering buying a pear cut diamond engagement ring, it is important to make sure it possesses excellent or very good symmetry and ideally the ratio of the length to the width should be 1.5:1.

Pear cut diamonds are extremely popular, not only because they make a beautiful centre stone in a diamond engagement ring but also because pear cut diamonds are frequently pierced through at the top and can be worn suspended in a stunning necklace. This particular engagement ring cut is also a popular choice because its unique shape can accentuate the length of the wearer’s finger and for this reason most women wear their pear shaped diamond rings with the tip of the pear pointing towards their fingers than with the tip pointing towards their hands.

All the fancy cut stones have a beautiful individual style to them but the pear cut diamond’s timeless elegance and sophistication seems set to remain a consistently popular choice amongst couples.

Frederick Holm is staff writer for of the F&L Designer Guides, compiled and written to help consumers choose a unique engagement ring design. From the best engagement ring cut to precious metals and coloured stones, we have ideas and opinions covering all the options. Offering advice, tips and suggestions on how to choose that perfect ring, F&L will accompany you on every stage of your search to find the right designer.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.