Pear Shaped Engagement Rings

When looking at diamond engagement rings one can not go wrong with pear shaped diamond engagement rings. This beautiful cut of diamond shares a history with some of the largest diamonds in the world including the Star of Africa which at 530.20 carats is indeed a large stone.

History

The pear shape or teardrop shape was invented in the 1400s by Lodewyk “Louis” Von Berquem. The cut was disliked at the time by other jewelers due to the loss of or wasting of a large portion of the “raw” stone. Clients of the time however loved the design for its excellent sparkle and brilliance. Soon after pear shaped diamond engagement rings became popular and are one of the most popular shapes today.

Cut

The pear shaped or teardrop diamond cut is half oval and half marquise the stone is pointed at one end and rounded at the other the ideally cut pear shape has 58 facets and the “shoulders” should be perfectly even. When looking for pear shaped diamond engagement rings there are a few things to look for

1) The bow tie effect: This is when the center of the diamond does not reflect and refract the light no matter which way it is turned.

2) Uneven shoulders: If you were to draw an imaginary line down the center of a pear shaped diamond the two halves should be even if one side is off it is known as uneven shoulders.

3) Another “flaw” is if the narrow side looks flat or triangular. A pear shaped diamond should look more like a drop of water or a tear. This “flaw” is not really a flaw however and is really in the eye of the beholder as some people like the shape a little squared rather then pointed in shape.

Largest Diamonds

The largest pear shaped diamond recorded to date is the Star of Africa also known as the Cullinan I. At 530.20 carats this beauty graces the Sovereigns Royal Sceptre and is display at the Tower of London.

One of the largest pear shaped diamond engagement rings was given to Elizabeth Taylor by Richard Burton. The ring was a 69.42 carat Cartier diamond ring.

Pear shaped diamond engagement rings bring a sense of style and sophistication that is lacking in other of the “fancy” cuts. They are more formal and elegant then the round cuts and a little less formal then some of the marquise cuts making for a truly lovely ring.