Marquise

The Marquise Brilliant cut may also be referred to as the "Navette" shape, meaning “little boat,” as the shape of the diamond is said to mirror the hull of a small boat. It is generally comprised of 58 facets, with 33 on the crown and 25 on the pavilion, although the number of pavilion facets may range between 4 and 8. Additionally, Marquise shapes are sometimes cut with a “French tip,” which replaces the large bezel facet at the point with star and upper girdle facets.

French tips are also used in the Heart and Pear shapes. Even though the optimal ratio of the Marquise is 2:1, the shape is more traditionally cut to ratios ranging between 1.85 and 2.10 according to personal preference.

The Marquise can suffer from a so-called “bow-tie effect” when light passing through the diamond casts a shadow across the central facets of the stone. This shadow can be reduced by altering the depth of the pavilion, and adjusting the angles of the table and facets to better diffuse light in the central area. This effect also occurs in the Pear, Oval and Heart shapes.