Marquise diamond
The marquise diamond, or navette, is an elongated shape ending in two points, with brilliant-style faceting. At equal weight, it offers one of the largest apparent surfaces of all shapes, at a lower price per carat than the round brilliant. All the stones offered here are GIA certified.
1Shape
2Carat
Understanding carat weight
The carat is the diamond’s unit of weight: one carat is 0.20 gram and is divided into 100 points.
The carat, a unit of weight
The word comes from the carob seed, which served as a weight reference for the stone merchants of antiquity. Today the metric carat is exactly 0.20 gram; a 0.50-carat diamond weighs 50 points, or 0.10 gram. The GIA report states the weight to the hundredth of a carat.
The carat and how it is perceived
The carat expresses a weight, not a dimension. Two diamonds of the same weight can have different diameters depending on their proportions: a stone cut too deep looks smaller than a well-proportioned one. Shape matters too: at equal weight, an elongated shape (oval, pear, marquise) shows a larger apparent surface than a round brilliant.
Our guidelines for comparing weights
Price is not proportional to weight: it rises in steps, especially at the round figures (0.50 ct, 1.00 ct). Comparing diamonds within the same weight range, at equal shape, colour and clarity, shows what proportions and cut quality cost. The ranges offered here give direct access to the stones of each weight.
3Colour
Understanding colour
The colour of a white diamond is graded from D (colourless) to Z (visible tint) on the GIA scale; the diamonds offered here range from D to K.
The GIA colour scale, from D to Z
The GIA grades colour by comparison with master stones, with the diamond placed table down, under standardised lighting. D, E and F are colourless (exceptional white for D and E, rare white+ for F). G and H are near colourless (rare white, white): only a side-by-side comparison reveals their nuance. I and J (slightly tinted white) may show a slight tint depending on the lighting and the metal. K is slightly tinted. The further down the scale, the more perceptible a warm tint becomes.
Our view of colour
Colour is judged on the mounted stone, with the naked eye, not under the loupe. On a large diamond the tint shows more than on a small one; between two neighbouring grades, the difference is most often imperceptible once the stone is set. The metal plays a part: yellow or rose gold warms any stone, white gold and platinum reveal the nuances. Elongated shapes, marquise and pear first among them, concentrate the tint at the points.
Our guidelines for choosing colour
G and H are often the right balance between appearance and price. D to F are the choice when absolute colourlessness matters, on white gold or platinum; I to K suit yellow or rose gold, where the nuance blends into the metal. The GIA report states the grade. Colour is chosen here together with shape, carat weight and clarity; the displayed price lets you compare two neighbouring grades at equal weight.
4Clarity
Understanding clarity
Clarity describes a diamond’s inclusions and surface blemishes, graded by the GIA from Flawless to Included; the diamonds offered here range from IF to SI2.
The GIA clarity scale
Eleven grades, from Flawless (FL) to Included (I3), assigned under 10x magnification by a trained grader: FL, IF, VVS1, VVS2, VS1, VS2, SI1, SI2, I1, I2, I3. The grade depends on the size, number, position, nature and relief of the characteristics observed. The diamonds offered here range from IF (Internally Flawless) to SI2 (Slightly Included).
Can clarity be seen?
From IF to VS2, nothing is visible to the naked eye. In SI1 and SI2, an inclusion can become perceptible depending on its position and nature, especially in step cuts, whose open table lets you see into the stone, and in large diamonds. Inclusions also tell the stone’s story: they are the signature of its natural formation, and sometimes a clue to its origin.
Our guidelines for choosing clarity
At equal weight, shape and colour, the price falls with the grade; the gap between two neighbouring grades can be significant without any visible difference. VS1 or VS2 give a stone that is clean to the eye at a measured price; SI1 can suit a round brilliant, provided you read the plot on the report; a step cut calls for a higher grade. The GIA report states the grade and, depending on its format, the position of the characteristics on a plot. Clarity is chosen here together with shape, carat weight and colour.
All four criteria must be filled in to display the available diamonds.
What makes the marquise diamond special
The marquise diamond, or navette, has an elongated outline ending in two points, with brilliant-style faceting. The name navette comes from the small boat whose silhouette it shares. The shape is believed to have originated in France in the 18th century: according to legend, Louis XV commissioned and named it for the Marquise de Pompadour, whose lips it was said to recall. Its elongation gives, at equal weight, one of the largest apparent surfaces of all shapes, and visually slims the finger. Light travels through it as in a round brilliant, with brightness concentrated at the centre and reflections running towards the points. This shape suits a ring worn along the finger, as a solitaire or flanked by two stones; as a pendant or in earrings, the free orientation of the point makes it a very graphic shape.
The price of a marquise diamond
At equal weight, colour and clarity, a marquise diamond costs less than a round brilliant, because demand goes first to the round and because its shape loses less rough. Colour matters more than on a round brilliant: the points concentrate the tint, and a higher grade than for a brilliant gives a stone that is white from end to end. Clarity is more forgiving: the brilliant faceting hides small inclusions well, except at the points, where an inclusion weakens the stone. The length-to-width ratio, calculated from the measurements on the report, gives a more or less slender silhouette; it is a personal choice, and we are glad to advise on request. The bow-tie, a dark zone across the width, is possible as in all elongated shapes; it is judged by eye, not on the report, and its prominence comes at a price.
What to look at before buying a marquise diamond
- Symmetry: both points exactly on the stone’s axis, both halves of the same curvature; a symmetry fault shows immediately on a marquise diamond.
- The bow-tie: light and mobile, it animates the stone; wide and fixed, it dulls it.
- The length-to-width ratio: the higher it is, the narrower the stone looks; the lower it is, the more it loses its elongation. It is a personal choice; if you need advice, contact us.
- The points: exposed to knocks, they are protected by V-shaped prongs; an inclusion at the point is to be avoided.
- Fluorescence: our stones have no fluorescence.
- The GIA report: measurements, proportions, symmetry and polish, colour and clarity grades, and a plot of the characteristics depending on the report format.
Using the search engine for a marquise diamond
Choose carat weight, colour and clarity in the block above or in the bar, in any order: the list of available marquise diamonds appears with their prices in CHF, EUR or USD. A stone marked “available” is in stock; a pre-order stone is reserved on the market when you order. Each stone’s page shows the GIA report.
Frequently asked questions about the marquise diamond
Does a marquise diamond look larger than a round brilliant?
Yes, at equal weight: its elongated outline gives it one of the largest apparent surfaces of all shapes, and it visually lengthens the finger.
How much does a 1-carat marquise diamond cost?
The price depends on weight, colour, clarity and proportions; the search engine shows the price of each stone, in the currency of your choice.
Which colour should you choose for a marquise diamond?
The points concentrate the tint: a higher grade than for a round brilliant gives a stone that is white from end to end; on yellow or rose gold, a lower grade is suitable.
What is the bow-tie?
A dark zone across the width, caused by light that the central facets send away from the eye; all elongated shapes can show one. It is judged by eye, not on the report.
Can you order a marquise diamond that is not in stock?
Yes: pre-order stones are reserved on the market when you order; the price and the report are known before ordering.
Why choose your marquise diamond at diams.com
Since 2004, diams.com has offered only GIA-certified diamonds, selected by a GIA-qualified gemmologist in Lausanne. The stone can be set on one of the rings at www.diams.com, with V-shaped prongs that protect the points.