Oval Diamonds vs Round Diamonds
Oval-shaped diamonds offer the same type of brilliance and sparkle that you get with a round cut diamond, but with a slightly different shape. In fact, the modern oval cut has exactly the same number of facets that a round brilliant cut has, just arranged slightly differently, basically stretched out a bit along one axis to accommodate the elongated shape.
When comparing Oval and Round brilliant-cut diamonds, we use all the normal characteristics, often known as the 4Cs; however, there are a couple of unique characteristics to look out for in both cuts.
Round and Oval cut diamonds, mined in Canada
Oval Diamond Price
We’ve demonstrated in the past, with pear-cut diamonds, that fancy shapes of the same weight can cost around a third less than round diamonds with the same colour, clarity, cut and other characteristics, and this is true for oval cut diamonds too, though the difference is often around 10-15%.
Oval Diamond Cut
How well a diamond is cut has a big influence on how it looks, how much it sparkles and ultimately, how much it costs. On a diamond certificate, there are several categories under which the cut is assessed.
Cut - this is an overall grade that describes how well the stone has been cut and takes a number of factors into consideration. There is also a diagram that accompanies this, which outlines a series of angles and ratios.
Symmetry - This refers to how precisely the various facets of a diamond have been aligned and how well the corners of these intersect with each other. The symmetry has a big effect on the brilliance of a diamond because misaligned facets will allow light to escape and not be reflected.
Polish - Simply, this is how smooth the individual facets are.
This excellent piece by GIA, demstonstrates how these characteristics can really affect the way a diamond looks.
Oval vs Round Diamond Cut
When it comes to how a diamond sparkles, the cut is probably the most important factor.
With round diamonds, we’re told to look out for the ‘hearts and arrows’ phenomenon, a pattern within a diamond that demonstrates how well the stone has been cut and its facets arranged.
Unless you have perfect symmetry, you don’t get this pattern, so it’s an indicator of a very well-cut round diamond.
With oval diamonds, you need to look out for what’s known as a ‘bow tie’, unlike the hearts and arrows in a round stone, this is an undesirable trait and something to be avoided if possible.
A bow tie pattern can appear in the middle of a stone, to the left and right of the central vertical axis, visible when looking down through the table.
Research by the GIA, the leading independent authority on diamonds and the body that created the 4Cs, has demonstrated that this occurs when you look at a diamond too closely. A bowtie is actually your reflection blocking light, and the closer you look at a stone, the darker and more pronounced the effect becomes.
Another difference between a round cut diamond and an oval is the variation in the shape of the oval. You don’t get any variation in shape with round diamonds, the round is round after all, but with ovals, you can get long slender ovals, fat round ovals and what are known as ideally proportioned ovals.
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Diamonds end up the shape they are for all sorts of reasons, so don’t be put off by a diamond that doesn’t fit these so-called ‘ideal’ proportions if you like the stone.
A company that embodies this philosophy more than any other are Canada-based ‘misfit diamonds’ who specialises in highly unusual shapes and cuts of diamonds. For instance, a fantastic 1.03ct rose cut oval diamond that is very long, is a beautiful stone in its own right, so don’t worry that it doesn’t conform to the GIA’s version of ‘ideal’.
They’ve even invented something called a ‘Moval’, that’s right, a Moval - a cross between a Marquise and an Oval.
Oval Diamond Setting
Oval diamonds can be set in all types of jewellery, and as they don’t have any sharp corners to protect, like a pear-shape or a Marquise diamond, you can use round or point claws as opposed to a V-claw.
In 2022, an oval cut diamond on a yellow gold band with a simple 4 claw setting is something of a trend, and this has had an impact on the availability of oval cut diamonds.
Oval diamonds are almost always set in 4 claw settings, though really big stones might have 6 or 8 claws.
Rubover Oval Diamond Setting
