What’s the buzz about oval cut engagement rings? A lot! And that is an understatement. First, oval cut engagement rings are the current fad. Aficionados say they are basically the perfect diamond. Second, they are less expensive than round-cut diamonds. Third, they make your ring finger look slim and slender. Finally, they appear huge compared to other diamond cuts of the same carat weight.

Oval Cut Engagement Rings: Facts That Should Know

They are very sparkly, too. Oval cut diamonds give an amazing amount of sparkle and a very lively fire. Its elongated shape creates the illusion of being larger than it actually is because of its weight distribution.

And what does an oval engagement ring say about you? That you are a bright, smart, creative, and individualistic kind of woman; that you love to stay ahead of the trends and exudes a classic, yet elegant look about your personal aura.

But before you get sold over, know what it is first…

What is an Oval Cut Diamond

What is an oval engagement ring called? As of 2020, the oval cut diamond was tagged as the most popular shape in the market. So let’s get into the “whats,” and “whys” for this distinction.

Oval-cut diamonds are simply round brilliant-cut with a difference (or differences). Though they have the brilliance of round-cut diamonds, they are more fashionable and trendy. If cut well, an oval-cut can look larger than a round-cut. But what attracts people to the oval cut is that it can make one’s finger look thinner and longer, and it compliments a lot of hand shapes and sizes.

Another significant difference between the two is that while the round-cut barged into the market well over a hundred years ago, the oval cut caught the attention of engagement ring buyers only in the mid-1900s. Its designer intended it to represent the longevity of a relationship.

Origin of the oval cut diamond

Jewelers have been cutting oval diamond shapes for centuries. But the modern-day oval-cut was not developed until the late 1950s—an accidental product of curiosity and imagination by Russian Diamond cutter Lazare Kaplan.

Mr. Kaplan made a name for himself by turning the most useless and flawed diamonds into beautiful works of art.

What he did was cut down damaged gemstones, chipped away the defective parts, and create smaller, workable diamonds. From his efforts, the oval cut diamond was born.

At that time, he may just be trying to salvage diamonds that would otherwise be thrown into the heap. He could never possibly know then that his creations would attract the likes of Princess Kate, Katie Holmes, and Salma Hayek, to name a few.

Are Oval Cut Diamonds More Expensive?

Many factors determine the cost of oval cut engagement rings. Things such as the size and quality of the stone. And as a finished product, the setting material cost comes into play as well. Overall, however, they are still less expensive than a round cut. In fact, they cost much less though they look bigger than another diamond cut of the same carat weight.

The bottom line is that they are generally more affordable by as much as 30% than a round cut—the most sought-after.

Why are Oval Cut Engagement Rings Popular

Before you take this question as pure hype, consider these:

• Blake Lively has an oval engagement ring set on rose gold given to her by her hubby,  Ryan Reynolds.

• Amber Rose wears an oval solitaire ring with a whopping 10-carat center stone.

• Katherine McPhee wears an oval-cut engagement ring set on platinum from Nick Cokas. It’s kind of unique, though as it features fancy-colored diamonds in the center as well as the halo around it.

• Miranda Kerr’s engagement ring features oval and round diamonds set in a floral pattern. It was given to her by her ex, Orland Bloom.

• Serena Williams has a three-stone oval diamond from Reddit co-founder, Alexis Ohanian. it features a sizable center stone.

The list is but a bit of the number of celebrities wearing oval cut engagement rings. This couldn’t be hype or a fluke, right?

So if you are in the market for engagement rings, here are four reasons why you should go for an oval-cut:

Four reasons to buy an oval-cut engagement ring

For several years now, the oval-cut diamond has been much sought-after in the engagement ring niche. This is because it can hold its ground in terms of sparkle and fire against the round-cut engagement ring, such as the one in this Natalie Diamonds review and it is far less expensive. Buyers were pulled in by any of all of the following reasons:

You get more value per dollar spent

While oval diamonds have the same brilliance and sparkle as a round-cut, it looks bigger on the finger because of its elongated shape.

For example, if you compare a 2-ct round against a 2-ct oval, the latter will take up more room on your finger. Oh, they may look the most expensive shape on the market, but they actually cost much less compared to the nearest competitor.

Do keep in mind that the bigger the stone, the more apparent the color and clarity are. So if you are buying a stone that is 1 carat or more, stay on the D-F color scale. For clarity, VS1 – VS2 will give an eye-clean diamond at 1.5 carats and up.

They have the “bow-tie” effect

This “bow-tie” is caused by light that doesn’t bounce back and forth in the center of the stone. It is called a “bow-tie” because it looks like it. Only the oval-cut has this kind of phenomenon.

While some potential buyers find this irritating, seasoned jewelers will tell you that this is one of the many aspects of an oval-cut that makes it beautiful and unique.

Oval-cut can go well with most settings

The setting of an engagement ring is just as important as the center stone. A wrong setting can outpower or outshine the center stone.

Luckily, the oval-cut can still shine with most diamond engagement ring settings.

They are the popular choice of celebrities

If you are like most people, you probably also want to be identified with your favorite celebrity. Maybe not on the personal level, but on the things they do, places to dine in, where to go for a vacation, and things they wear—including engagement rings.

You may not want to be lavish like them, like when David Lee proposed to the tennis superstar, Serena Williams, with an 8.8-carat engagement ring, but you wouldn’t refuse something similar, even on a less grand scale, would you?

But are oval rings out of style?

Nope. They are not. Though they are not as trendy as the round cut, oval cut engagement rings like the one in this Michael M review, are staying solid within their own niche. But just like any commodity, oval rings come and go based on how it is packaged —their settings. Oval rings set in gold or platinum are just as good—or better than any other.

Best Settings for Oval Cut Engagement Rings

Different diamond cuts are given names for marketing purposes. And what is an oval engagement ring called, you may ask? The answer is Madison.

Madison, of course, refers to Madison Jewellers located in the prestigious Hatton Garden in the heart of London. The store boasts of having the broadest range of diamond rings made by its own jewelers.

And it also makes the best diamond settings for an oval cut which are basically only two; prong and bezel.

Prong setting

This setting type has found a good use in oval cut because it leaves a huge area of the stone visible.

On the downside, a prong setting leaves a huge area of the stone exposed to potential scratches or damage. And if the material is soft, like yellow gold, the prongs can easily bend, loosening their grip on the stone.

With all these pros and cons considered, jewelers designed two types of prong settings:

Four prongs

A four-prong setting means there are four prongs holding the stone. This setting has these features:

• Shows a large part of the center stone
• It gives off a higher level of brilliance
• Makes the diamond look larger
• Easier to clean
• The center stone is less secure

Six prongs

To fix the center stone more securely, some jewelers opt for the six-prong setting. However, this, too, has its own negative issues. Consider the following:

• The prongs cover more area of the stone
• The level of brilliance is lower
• It makes the diamond look smaller
• Covers more area of the stone
• More difficult to clean
• The center stone is more secure

Although six prongs seem to offer more security to the center stone, the real security is provided by the kind of metal the prongs are made of. If it’s titanium, then there are no worries about stone security. Besides, four prongs offer a better view than six prongs. In most cases, how it appeals to the noble senses of people is more important than security.

Bezel Setting

Where security and protection are concerned, the bezel setting offers the most. This explains why it is the second most popular setting for oval-cut diamonds.

In a bezel setting, an arc of the metal partially encloses the ring’s main stone. The bezel may encircle some parts of the stone. This is called half or partial bezel. Or it may cover the stone from all angles. In this case, it is called a full bezel.

Half bezel

The features of this setting type are:

• Less area of the stone is covered
• High level of brilliance
• The center stone also looks larger
• Easy to clean
• Secure

Full bezel

This setting type features the following:

• More of the stone is covered
• A lower level of brilliance compared to the partial bezel
• The stone looks smaller
• Easy to clean
• Secure

For what its merits are, the fact remains that bezel settings cover a significant portion of the diamond, making it look smaller than it actually is. And it reduces the stone’s brilliance compared to the prong setting.

Tips on Buying the Best Oval Cut

If you are on the market for engagement rings, you can’t help but notice the buzz surrounding oval cut diamonds, like the buzz of a flock of bees drawn to a garden of daisies. That’s because they look very classy and sophisticated on engagement rings—from simple oval engagement rings to 1 carat oval diamond rings.

But not all oval cuts are created equal. So if you want to have the best, consider these:

Get the right width to length ratio

Beware of the bow tie

As mentioned earlier, a bow tie is a darkened area (the shape of a bow tie) that appears across the center of the diamond when viewed at certain angles. This is due to poor cutting or misaligned facets.

Some people will let it pass if not too obvious. But if it is too large to affect its beauty, look for another piece.

Look for good symmetry

This is very critical in oval-cuts. The stone should have about the same profile on both sides of its center line and the edges must slope evenly towards the ends.

If there’s a bit of disproportion on either side, look for another.

Of course, you may miss this, especially if you are in a hurry or are not careful. So look at the stone as many times as necessary, closely examining it from all sides and angles.

Pick your color

Due to its brilliant faceting patterns, oval-cut is good at hiding colors. So if money is not an issue, go for most people’s choice—the D-G colorless diamond grade

These give more sparkle and fire. If you like some warm tints, go lower on the color scale.

And please, don’t forget the setting. If you are going to use platinum or white gold, choose the H color. If yellow gold, it is better to go down to K color or I.

An oval cut engagement ring may not be as famous and sought-after as its close relative, the round cut. But its unique, elegant, and captivating design is the perfect expression for a woman with good taste in creativity and is highly individualistic. A woman of culture and power.

We hope that you learned more about oval cut engagement rings and that you’re ready to make that purchase so it’s time to find a store. Check out our guide, “Where to Find Your Bling: The 10 Best Online Fine Jewelry Stores.”