There’s no mistaking – 2018 has been the year of the pear diamond! This diamond shape has been one of the most popularized trends this year at Lauren B. Our clients are flocking to them more and more due to their large face-up dimensions and distinctive asymmetrical look. We thought it was time to dig a little deeper and offer our clients a quick tutorial on pear shapes – what to look for, what to ignore, and how to know when you’ve found your perfect diamond!
Watch the video below for further education on ideal pear diamond proportions:
This is a line-up of diamonds presented to a client interested in a custom pear shape engagement ring (specifically with this size and quality in mind). Now before we go further, options 1 (1.86 ct D-SI1) and option 3 (1.97 F-SI1) are diamonds we would NEVER recommend to a client and are only shown in this line-up to clearly depict what they should AVOID in a pear shape diamond.
Why you might ask? The answer comes down strictly to the cut, or polish and symmetry grades in fancy cut diamonds, and these two diamonds fail the cut test for different reasons:
The 1.86 carat D-SI1 may look large at first glance because it is longer than any of the other three stones, however it is too long and starts to lose its unique teardrop outline; the edges are too flat and parallel as well. The ratio of this diamond (length divided by width) is somewhere in the 1.7 range which is well outside the acceptable range for pear shape diamonds. Ideally you would want to target something in the 1.5:1 to 1.65:1 range.
On the other hand, the 1.97 carat F-SI1 looks terribly small for its size. It is an especially deep diamond and although it weighs almost 2 carats, it gives the face-up appearance of a diamond around 1.50 carats - so you will not be able to appreciate the additional weight that you paid for!
The other two (second and fourth) diamonds are both great options; they have the teardrop outline that you expect from a pear shape and have excellent measurements. Typically for a 2 carat pear shape diamond you would want something at least 11mm in length to maintain the ideal ratio ranges, as this will ensure a beautiful stone that appears exactly as the carat weight suggests! These diamonds are also gorgeous quality – pears tend to show color/warmth easily so we recommend a color range of H or better. They are also stunningly eye-clean, as we prefer to present options to our clients that have no visible imperfections unless you view them under magnification.
At Lauren B., we find diamond education to be just as crucial as ring aesthetics, because different cuts require different factors and it is important to understand the benefits and limitations of your investment. We also make a point of working within more narrow ranges (colorless/near colorless, eye-clean or better) to make sure that you are viewing the best available options for your custom design!
To read more about our custom design process, read here!
