Pear-shaped diamonds are a beautiful alternative to traditional princess cuts or round brilliant diamonds. They make a lovely centerpiece in any engagement ring.
The modified brilliant-cut pear shaped diamond is a combination of a round and a marquise shape, with a tapered point on one end. The diamond is always worn with the narrow end pointing toward the hand of the wearer. Like marquise and oval cuts, the pear shaped diamond comes in a variety of slim to wide cuts and has the added benefit of making the wearer’s fingers appear longer and slimmer.
A pear-shaped diamond should possess excellent or very good symmetry. The point should line up with the apex of the rounded end. The shoulders and wings, the upper and lower curves on the right and left side of the diamond, should form uniform, symmetrical curves, with no straight edges. The rounded top should not appear narrow or squat, but like a semi-circle.
While the length to width ratio of classic pear shaped diamonds is 1.40-1.70, personal preference dictates choice. The shape preference may also be affected by the diamond’s eventual setting: A narrow pear diamond is ideal for dangle earrings, while a wider shape might be preferred for a solitaire ring.