Oval Diamonds: Everything a Buyer Should Know

The oval diamond is a modern cut that will provide any wearer with an excess of brilliance, fire and coverage for the cost. Consistently ranking as one of the most popular diamond styles, due to the flattering shape on the hand, and its sparkle, this cut has been around for centuries. So what should you look out for when purchasing an oval diamond?

Keep reading to find out more about this sleek cut, and discover:

• What defines the shape of an oval diamond?

• What price are oval diamonds?

• Reasons to buy an oval diamond

• Identifying a good quality oval diamond

Oval diamonds are a modified brilliant cut, meaning they also have 58 facets as standard, but they have an elongated shape instead of purely round. There are no sharp edges on an oval cut (making it less prone to chipping) and an oval diamond can be ‘tall’ and elongated, or wider and more circular — a length to width ratio of 1.35 - 1.50 is considered the classic oval cut.

Though the shape is crucial, the most important element in any diamond is the quality of the cut. Good quality oval diamonds have excellent brilliance and fire. While the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) provides Cut grading for some shapes, such as round brilliant cuts, it does not provide grading for oval diamonds as it is considered a ‘fancy’ cut.

There are many benefits to buying an oval diamond to wear as a ring, or as a loose stone, such as:

• The stone can be larger, and in a setting can appear bigger, than round cuts of the same weight.

• The oval shape makes a finger look longer and thinner, making it one of the most flattering shapes for an engagement ring.

• Inclusions can be hidden easily in the many facets, so you may be able to buy a larger stone, for less, if there are minor inclusions not able to be seen with the naked eye.

When purchasing an oval diamond, the 4 C’s should be taken into consideration (cut, clarity, colour and carat). But with this particular style, there is another quality measure to monitor.

The bow-tie effect is where poor light distribution throughout the stone can create a dark patch across the centre of the diamond. Due to the facets of an oval cut, the dark patches can be triangular, earning their bow-tie moniker.

All oval diamonds have a level of bow-tie effect, due to the way the facets meet in the middle of the stone’s table. Good quality cuts with adequate colour will likely have less noticeable dark spots and still offer excellent brilliance and fire. A visual inspection is the best way to ascertain the severity of the bow-tie on an individual oval diamond, as professional lighting in imagery can mask poor light distribution.

BNT Diamonds buys diamonds straight from the source to offer you the best quality diamonds at the best price. In addition, all our diamonds have passed through a renowned certification agency, such as GIA or HRD. Are you thinking of investing in diamonds? Ask the experts at BNT Diamonds for advice or talk with our team directly at +32 3 201 24 90.