HK- World’s leading manufacturer of loose diamonds oval shape
Posted by Hari Krishna
December 26, 2020
The pear-cut and round brilliant cut diamond cross-mate, an oval cut diamond is trendy in all fancy shaped diamonds.
A well-cut loose diamond oval shape looks much bigger than a same-sized round diamond, which is why the oval-shaped ring makes the wearer’s fingers look thinner and longer.
The ceiling end of the oval-cut diamond is called HEAD, and the tail tip is called END. The oval-cut diamond’s central-most curved area is called BELLY, and the curved area that connects the head/end to the belly is called SHOULDER.
You might be surprised to know that the oval-shaped diamond contains the same number of facets (58) as a round cut diamond. Let’s see when and how the oval shape of the diamond was invented:
If we trace back to the history of diamonds cut, the concept of cutting and faceting was first introduced around the 18th century.
However, until the late 18th century, diamonds were not identified by their shapes but simply as brilliants (faceted) and non-brilliants (not faceted).
It’s in the late 18th century; we can first see mention of oval diamonds in literature. These early oval-shaped diamonds lacked brilliance and were very basic and poorly cut.
The modern brilliant oval cut was created in 1957 by Kaplan. This oval elegance had a brilliant-cut 56 to 58 facets and became the framework for the oval cut diamonds we see today.
You might be surprised to know that the age-old Koh-i-Noor diamond, which dates back to the 13th century, is the most famous oval diamond in the world.
As mentioned earlier, the concept of faceting was not introduced until then. Hence, the 186-carat gem – Koh-i-Noor was in irregular shape and crudely cut.
To improve its appearance, Britain’s Queen Victoria had it cut down to 105.6-carat oval brilliant cut diamond in 1850. Today this exceptional beauty is preserved in the Tower of London.
When buying any diamond shape, you consider its 4Cs (cut, clarity, color, carat) set forth by the GIA, and the oval cut diamond is no exception to this.
However, unlike the brilliant round-cut diamond, the GIA does not issue an overall cut grade (which is the most critical aspect in determining the diamond brilliance) for any fancy-shaped diamonds.
Since all the other diamond qualities rely on the diamond-cut to some extent, you can’t indeed verify the quality of loose diamonds oval shape while buying unless you are a skilled person.
Let’s just get an overview of the loose diamonds oval shape anatomy.
There is no such thing as a GIA Excellent oval shape diamond. There is a difference between a well-cut and a poorly cut loose diamond oval shape. Let’s see how.
1) Length-to-Width Ratio
Calculate the length-to-width ratio of the loose diamond oval you are buying and get the number. You can buy the loose diamond oval with its L2B ratio in the range of 1.3:1 to 1.4:1.
The most preferred and popular length-to-width ratio for loose diamonds in the market is 1.7:1. However, such a longer oval diamond is difficult to produce; hence it is rare to find one.
2) Symmetry
The beauty of loose diamonds oval shapes is that they can have different facet arrangements, but the standard arrangement is 8 bezel facets on the crown with 8 main facets on the pavilion.
To make an oval diamond symmetrical, the shape and faceting of halves should be identical.
3) Girdle thickness
The girdle is the intersection of the crown and pavilion, and its thickness is determined in the same way as in round-cut diamonds.
A thick girdle will make your oval diamond heavier, and a thin girdle will increase the risk of damage to your diamond. So, it is better to go with the optimum thickness of the girdle.
4) Bow-tie effect
We all know that the diamond’s facets act as a series of mirrors that reflect the light in the viewer’s eyes. The differences in the faceting produce varying degrees of contrast brilliance.
When you look at the diamond of your head and shoulders’ reflection blocks diamond’s entering the light, which produces the dark contrast.
This dark contrast is known as the bow-tie effect in the diamond. The intensity of this effect may get affected by the facet structure and proportions.
A well-cut diamond also shows the bow-tie effect when you get in front of the diamond. The closer you get to the diamond, the more pronounced the bow-tie effect.
The oval diamonds show a more blow-tie effect (varying from nearly invisible to severe) compared to other fancy shapes due to their larger surface area.
An oval diamond with a dominant bow-tie will worsen its beauty and brilliance. Hence, it is recommended not to purchase such diamonds.
In the high clarity grade diamonds, the natural inclusions/blemishes will be less visible, but they also cost more.
However, oval diamonds do not need a high clarity-grade due to their brilliant cut. You may find a nice eye-clean oval diamond in even SI2 clarity.
Due to their faceting, oval cut diamonds blanket the yellow tint to some extent. It means that you can lower up to H color-grade in oval diamonds without compromising the aesthetic beauty.
Different fancy shapes can be the same carat weight but may seem different sizes. Oval diamonds look larger than a round diamond.
It’s also worth noting that the higher you go up in carat weight, the higher your other diamond grades will need to make your diamond look magnificent and brilliant.
Oval diamonds will create a beautiful look in many engagement ring settings and provide wide options to you. Let’s see a few of them.
A halo setting of an oval diamond in the center surrounding smaller diamonds will look dramatically beautiful and lovely.
The prong setting is also an eye-catching choice for an oval diamond, as it will protect the diamond from any damage and gives it an additional height.
A bezel setting of an oval diamond is the best choice for everyday wearers having an active life. Also, oval diamonds go well with all kinds of side stones.
Just have a look at our latest luxurious collection of dazzling oval-shaped diamonds that radiate exotic retro vibes!
