An engagement ring must showcase your unique personality and style as you proudly wear it each day. When your ring has an oval diamond, it spells elegance irrespective of the design being modern or traditional. Its long look makes your fingers appear slender and longer.
Oval cut engagement rings may reflect a regular, wide, or narrower shape. Their surface area is larger when you compare oval diamonds to round ones with the same carat weight. This versatile shape suits sharp lines and even softer engagement ring patterns, thereby achieving a minimal yet, timeless style.
Pros of an Oval Cut Diamond
The advantages of choosing an oval cut diamond over the other available shapes are listed here:
- Trending because of its attractive lengthening effect
- Boasts of a convenient shape that does not tug at your hair or clothes
- It appears bigger due to its larger surface area
- Costs significantly less than a round diamond with a similar weight
- Not vulnerable to damage in the absence of sharp corners and pointed edges
Buying Guide
When on the hunt for a sparkling diamond cut, head the oval route. The enumerated guidelines equip you to make a lasting selection for your special day:
Assess Shape
Egg and off-shaped ovals with square or pointed ends are best avoided as they are prone to chipping. Look for symmetry in the oval diamond’s overall shape. A length to width ratio between 1.3 and 1.5 is preferable as it delivers the desired elongation.
This ratio reveals how proportionately shaped the diamond is to achieve its intended oval: higher the ratio, the longer and skinnier the oval cut. Shorter and chubbier oval cut diamonds have a lower length to width ratio.
Examine the Extent of Light Leakage
When diamonds are cut into fancy shapes, some amount of light leakage is a given. One look at oval cut engagement rings reveals a light reflection bowtie shape formation across its middle. In premium quality oval diamonds, the bowtie effect is minimal.
Choose an oval cut diamond ring that uniformly sparkles when you visually inspect it. Avoid rings that strongly exhibit the bowtie effect, especially the dead center. A classic oval cut has a signature subtle bowtie so opt for these rather than rings reflecting a prominently dark bowtie.
Evaluate Cut and Brilliance
An oval cut diamond’s top flat surface or table and thickness or depth impact its brilliance. The unique and complex structure of an oval cut lends the diamond its unique character. To achieve an ideal to very good oval cut, the diamond should have a table percentage between 53% and 63%.
For this calculation, the table size is compared to the diamond’s entire top surface. A depth percentage ranging between 57% to 63% is the trademark of classic oval cuts that strike the right balance. These percentages determine how brightly the oval cut diamond sparkles and shines.
Review Measurements
Do not compare carats to determine size as the weight of the stone is given a carat grading. Before making a final purchase, you should make a measurement comparison of the shortlisted engagement rings. An oval cut diamond with an average to an above-average measurement for its carat weight should be your ideal choice.
Analyze Colour
A ‘D’ colour grade indicates the most colourless diamond, while the lower end ‘Z’ color grade identifies diamonds with a visible yellow or brown tint. Colour grades between ‘D’ and ‘H’ point towards a quality oval cut diamond.
Focus on how the stone’s colour appears to you as it is challenging to notice differences between colour grades visually. The whiter the diamond’s colour, the greater is its value.
Check Clarity
Beautiful oval cut diamonds appear clean to the naked eye with no visibly prominent inclusions. Every diamond comes with inclusions but, the latter’s location, colour, and shape determine its visibility. Assess the degree to which such inclusions are noticeable and proceed with your engagement ring purchase when the inclusion is not very evident.
Compare Price
On average, an oval cut diamond is approximately 28% cheaper per carat than its round-shaped counterpart. As the diamond’s weight in carats increases, its price correspondingly rises.
The quantity of the rough diamond discarded while cutting and polishing an oval cut is comparatively less. Hence, you get better value on every dollar spent. When a diamond is placed on a thick band, it weighs more. Thus, your expenses increase.
Approach a renowned jeweller who trades in certified diamonds uniquely crafted by qualified designers. Customer-centric manufacturers use quality stones to produce the most spectacular engagement rings.