Marquise

A marquise cut stone is a modified brilliant cut with an elongated elliptical shape and pointed tips at both ends. Also called navette, meaning small boat in French, the shape dates to 18th century French court jewelry. The marquise cut maximizes carat weight appearance through its elongated footprint: a marquise stone appears larger than a round or cushion of the same carat weight because its elongated outline covers more surface area. The pointed tips at both ends create the most dramatically elongated silhouette of all standard brilliant cuts.

Marquise cuts appear across earrings, necklaces, and other jewelry formats in addition to their primary ring context. In earrings, the vertical orientation of marquise studs creates an elongated stud appearance that reads as more distinctive than round at the same carat weight. Marquise drop earrings create dramatic elongation at the face. In necklaces, marquise pendant drops have the same pointed visual momentum as pear drops. The shape works across all jewelry types but is most associated with rings and drop earrings.

Marquise diamonds can exhibit a bow-tie effect, a dark shadow across the center of the stone caused by the viewer blocking light return through the elongated middle section. Well-cut marquise stones minimize this through careful facet angles that redirect light through the affected area. The effect is most prominent in stones with a very high length-to-width ratio. Evaluating a specific stone in person or through high-quality video is the most reliable way to assess how significant the bow-tie is before purchase.

Marquise cuts require V-prongs at both pointed tips because the tips are the most vulnerable points and must be protected from chipping. A six-prong configuration with V-prongs at both tips and standard prongs along the sides is the standard secure setting. Halo settings trace the elongated shape and are particularly effective for marquise centers. Bezel settings protect the tips completely but reduce light entry from the sides and soften the pointed outline.

Marquise rings at Oath include diamond solitaires in V-prong settings, halo configurations, and colored stone options. Yellow gold and white gold settings are both available. For the marquise cut worn at the collarbone, browse marquise necklaces.

Marquise engagement rings appeal to buyers who want the most dramatic and distinctive elongated stone shape available. The shape's maximum apparent size per carat, finger-elongating effect, and bold silhouette make it a strong engagement ring choice for buyers who want something that no one in the room will mistake for a conventional choice. The main practical consideration is the V-prong tip protection required for daily wear.

Marquise differs from oval in the degree of its elongation and the character of its tips. Both are elongated brilliant cuts that create a slimming finger effect, but marquise is more dramatic: the pointed tips extend further than oval's rounded ends, creating more finger elongation per carat. Marquise also appears larger than oval at the same carat weight because of its more extreme elongation. Buyers who want maximum elongation and visual drama choose marquise.

Marquise and oval are the two primary elongated brilliant cuts in fine jewelry, often compared because both create finger-elongating effects and appear larger per carat than round cuts. The key differences are the pointed tips of marquise versus the rounded ends of oval, and the greater elongation of marquise versus the more moderate elongation of oval. For buyers comparing both shapes, our oval page shows the complete oval range for direct comparison.

Marquise and pear share a pointed tip design — marquise has pointed tips at both ends, while pear has one pointed tip and one rounded end. Both create dramatic visual elongation beyond oval. Marquise is symmetrical and suited to ring center orientations where both ends read equally. Pear has directional asymmetry that suits pendant drops and downward-pointing ring orientations. Our pear page covers pear jewelry for comparison.

Marquise shapes are less common in stacking ring contexts than round, oval, and cushion because the elongated pointed form is harder to integrate with other ring shapes without visual competition. Slim marquise single-stone bands and marquise accent rings exist as stacking companions, but the shape is more commonly purchased as a statement solitaire.