Marquise Cut Diamond Engagement Ring Inspired By The Art Deco Era
Want an engagement ring with incredible style, uniqueness and vintage flair? Then a ring like the featured Art Deco-inspired 2-carat marquise cut diamond engagement ring might be perfect for you!
Not exactly familiar with Art Deco and marquise diamond engagement rings? Below we go over everything you need to know, while also featuring a very special marquise diamond engagement ring that’s now on sale at Diamonds By Raymond Lee in Boca Raton.
WHAT IS A MARQUISE DIAMOND?
A marquise diamond has an elongated shape with pointed ends. The shape resembles that of an eye, a football, or a boat. It is essentially the same as a “navette” cut diamond, which means “little ship” in French.
The marquise diamond is a modified brilliant cut. It usually has 58 facets. It is cut for maximum brilliance, scintillation and fire. As such, it sparkles magnificently.
The marquise cut was actually created specifically for diamonds, but it eventually became popular for sapphires, emeralds and other precious gemstones.
Although the whimsical shaped marquise cut diamond has never been the most popular diamond shape, it has always captured the hearts of romantic, stylish, and creative women. The marquise cut diamond provides a very unique and dramatic look that will never go out of style. It is a classic diamond shape with a wonderfully rich history.
HISTORY OF THE MARQUISE DIAMOND
The marquise cut diamond has been around from hundreds of years. It was first created back in Paris, France in the 18th century. By all accounts, it was King Louis XV who inspired the idea. He hired a jeweler to create a uniquely shaped diamond that bear semblance to the mouth of his beloved mistress, Marquise de Pompadour.
Marquise is a rank in a royal family. It is between a count and a duke (marquis for males). This rank is given by birthright, not marriage or appointment.
The name of the marquise cut diamond of course came from the first one ever made being a gift for Marquise de Pompadour, but it stuck over time because the marquise diamond became a reflection of the rank of nobles who were able to where this specific diamond.
Throughout history, the marquise cut diamond has always been seen as a cut of royalty. Its very unique and powerful appearance allows the wearer to stand apart form the rest. This is why it was a popular choice among jewelers of the Victorian era and the Art Deco era.
In modern times, the historic marquise cut diamond is still as desirable as ever. You will find them used in cocktail rings, right hand rings, and engagement rings. In fact, in recent years, marquise cut diamond engagement rings have significantly spiked in popularity, due to contemporary thinking being more individualistic. The marquise diamond is for a woman who loves tradition and a good romantic story, but is not afraid to separate herself from the crowd. After all, a marquise cut diamond engagement ring is super eye-catching and distinct.
MARQUISE DIAMONDS SYMBOLIZATION
There are various kinds of symbolisms associated with the marquise diamond cut. With that, couples can interpret the distinctive shape in a way that is meaningful for their relationship, belief, and style.
Here are some of the marquise diamond’s symbolizations, that way you can be pensive for what it means specifically to you.
Shape
As the shape resembles many things, such as a cat’s eye, lemon, boat, football, and so on, you can relate it to something meaningful specially to you. For example, maybe you and your significant other met on a cruise or maybe you are a cat lover.
Royalty
If you are particularly fond of Old World aristocracy, the story behind the marquise cut diamond will surely speak to you. It has such a fascinating history, and one spurred by romance.
Geography
If you are a couple with a special connection to the City of Light (Paris, France), there is no other diamond that better represents that (especially one with an Art Deco design). You could even use it to signify that your honeymoon will be in Paris, one of the most romantic destinations for travelers around the world.
History
The marquise cut diamond is more than just a cut for royals of the past, it was one of the most prominent diamond shapes during various classic jewelry eras. The Victorian era and Art Deco era was particularly fond of the marquise cut diamond. It was also a very popular choice throughout the 1980s. If your loved one was born in the 80s, it makes for a very thoughtful statement.
Personality
There are many ways to associate the marquise shape with a woman’s personality. For example, being that it is a unique and distinctive shape, it’s perfect for a creative woman. Another idea is how the marquise shape includes both curves and sharp points, representing both her feminine and strong sides.
As you can see, there are many symbolic meanings to consider. This is one of the reasons the marquise cut diamond is so desirable for engagement rings these days.
MARQUISE DIAMOND FAQs
Now, before we go over the details of the featured marquise cut diamond engagement ring, let us answer a few frequently asked questions that we receive at Diamonds By Raymond Lee in Boca Raton regarding marquise cut diamonds and marquise cut diamond engagement rings.
Are marquise diamonds out of style?
The marquise cut diamond has been around since the mid-1700s and it has never become unfashionable. There have been phases where it is more or less popular, but it has always been among the classic diamond shapes. Like most diamond cuts, it transcends fashion as it is truly timeless in style and perennially modern.
That said, it does have a vintage look to it, which is great as “vintage” jewelry from classic jewelry eras will never, EVER go out of style.
All in all, it may not be a style for everyone, but the marquise cut is surely a diamond shape that will never fade from popularity.
To give you a better idea of its popularity, let’s run through some famous examples of the marquise cut diamond…
Celebrities With Marquise Cut Diamond Engagement Rings:
- Christina Milian has a marquise cut engagement ring.
- Ashlee Simpson wears a breathtaking vintage, Art Deco style marquise cut diamond with ruby side stones.
- Catherine Zeta Jones sports a marquise cut diamond ring with an east-west setting.
- Victoria Beckham’s original engagement ring had a marquise cut diamond.
- Jennifer Lopez’s first marriage began with a marquise cut diamond.
These are just a few examples. The marquise cut diamond is very popular among celebrities as it naturally has a very theatrical and dramatic style.
But let’s not let who wears marquise cut diamond engagement rings decide if it’s right for you. What’s most important is if this beautiful, vintage-looking, feminine diamond cut calls to you.
Do marquise diamonds look bigger?
The marquise cut diamond is shallow, so it has a larger surface area. With that, it appears larger than most other diamond shapes of the same carat weight.
What’s also nice about its elongated shape is that it complements both long, slender fingers and short, chubby fingers. If you are a woman with long, slender fingers, the marquise cut diamond running vertical with your finger will accentuate it slimness. If you are a woman with shorter fingers, the marquise cut diamond will create a sort of illusion of slenderness as the pointed ends draw up the eyes.
Do marquise diamonds sparkle?
The marquise diamond has magnificent sparkle. Because it is a modified brilliant cut, the light performance is powerful. It offers immense brilliance and scintillation. Pictures can only express this a little bit. You have to see the diamond in person to get the full understanding of its shimmering beauty.
PLATINUM 2CT MARQUISE DIAMOND ART DECO ENGAGEMENT RING
The ring you are looking at here is a marquise cut diamond engagement ring made from platinum. The marquise diamond center stone is 2 carats. It is a very high grade cut, so it will provide incredible light performance.
The sparkle of the marquise centerpiece is amplified by trillion cut diamond side stones. As trillion diamonds are triangular in shape, the sharp edges really complement the shape of the marquise diamond.
Then, for an added touch of radiance and grace, the tips of the triangles have a round brilliant diamond set into a rhombus outline.
Altogether, this ring is very geometric, which is a clear stylistic feature of the Art Deco era…After all, this vintage style, sophisticatedly feminine ring was inspired by the Art Deco period.
ART DECO
Art Deco, aka style moderne, was a movement of decorative arts and architecture originating in the 1920s in Paris. The name “Art Deco” came about during an International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris, France in 1925. They coined the designs “Arts Decoratifs”.
Art Deco quickly caught on as a major style for jewelry in Western Europe and the USA. By the 1930s, it was the leading trend for fashion and art. Contemporary, forward-thinking women only had eyes for Art Deco jewelry.
Today, around 100 years later, it is arguably the most influential era of jewelry and the most desirable style for vintage-inspired rings.
Art Deco engagement rings feature geometric patterns, symmetrical lines and linear shapes. At a time when Skyscrapers were rising high in the air, Art Deco rings were a perfect representation of the modern time. The rings were often big and very architectural. They incorporate modernist cuts, rich materials, and meticulous craftsmanship.
During the Art Deco era, platinum took over as the precious metal of choice for engagement rings. It has remained this way ever since.
All in all, Art Deco engagement rings are unparalleled in their refinement, sophistication, and grace. Moreover, they have very strong features that make them instantly recognizable as Art Deco designs.
Characteristics of Art Deco
- Heavy geometric influences
- Triangular shapes
- Trapezoidal shapes
- Combinations of straight and smooth lines
- Zigzags
- Aerodynamic, sleek forms
- Loud, vibrant colors (a lot of Art Deco engagement rings incorporate sapphires, rubies, and emeralds)
- Liberal use of step cut diamonds
- Platinum constructions
As you can see, the featured marquise diamond engagement ring is an Art Deco ring through and through.
SOLITAIRE SETTING
The best setting for a marquise diamond is a solitaire setting as it allows the striking shape to be the main attraction of the ring. A marquise cut diamond can make a statement without the need of fancy metal work and detailing.
The ring you see here has a solitaire setting with two side stones, so it is a sort of three stone ring with prong settings. You’ll notice the tips of the marquise diamond have v-shape prongs. This is a very important aspect for a marquise diamond as the tips are the most vulnerable. With v-shape prongs, the marquise diamond has all the protection it will ever need.
Note: Halo settings are great too, as they can add size without the need to spend a lot of money on a larger center stone. However, since the marquise diamond already appears larger than the carat weight suggests, and typically speaking, marquise cut diamonds are never cut into small carat weights like round brilliants are, it is not particularly necessary to amplify the size with a halo of diamonds.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING A MARQUISE DIAMOND?
As the marquise cut diamond is a fancy shape, symmetry is important. You want to make sure the marquise diamond is cut symmetrically so that there is no light leakage from a bow tie effect. This is pretty easy to spot in good lighting.
The ‘bow tie effect’ occurs when light is not being reflected from center of the diamond due to poor symmetry of the cut.
The ideal marquise cut diamond has a length-to-width ratio of 1.90. However, it really depends on your personal preference. You can get a slimmer or fatter marquise cut with same wonderful effect.
As for clarity, G or H will give you the biggest bang for you buck. It will look perfectly colorless to the naked eye, allowing for the brilliance we all desire from a modern brilliant cut diamond engagement ring.
MARQUISE DIAMOND PRICE
Like all fancy diamond shapes (note: any shape that is not a round brilliant is a fancy diamond shape), marquise diamonds cost less than round brilliant diamonds of the same carat weight and similar cut, color and clarity grade. This is because round brilliants cause the most rough diamond wastage.
On average, you can expect to pay around $5,000 for a beautiful 1 carat marquise diamond. However, if you shop pre-owned engagement rings, you can find a far greater deal.
The Art Deco marquise cut diamond ring you see here is a prime example of this. This gorgeous Art Deco 2-carat marquise cut platinum diamond ring costs only $8,995.
See the full sales listing for this Platinum 2ct Marquise Diamond Art Deco Engagement Ring, which is now available for sale at Diamonds By Raymond Lee in Boca Raton.