Choosing the shape of your engagement ring’s diamond involves a lot of factors. From your taste to your budget, all of these should be considered when you choose the final design. Of the various shapes available, the pear shaped diamond has always been a quiet favorite.
What To Look For When Buying Pear-Shaped Diamonds
Also known as the teardrop diamond, this shape holds a quiet elegance. Though not the top favorite for most buyers, its fancy shape makes it a good middle ground to apply either traditional or modern sensibilities. Best of all, the pear shape is a balance of symmetry and uniqueness.
While round diamonds can achieve perfect symmetry, the fact that the teardrop shape has the unique appeal of a pointed end allows you to explore different orientations. In this way, you can try creating designs that will perfectly showcase this shape.
The Basics Of The Pear Shape
Unlike other diamond shapes, this particular design has various parts. When looking at the anatomy of a pear-shaped diamond, this fancy shape has five main parts. Contrary to expectations, the rounded edge is known as the head.
The diamond narrows down to the shoulder, trimming further down into the belly. Just before the slope reaches the point, which is the tip of the diamond, there is the wing. This part mimics the bottom part of a heart-shaped diamond.
What to check for in a pear-shape diamond’s anatomy
With all of these different parts, it’s good to keep an eye on some important parts, as they can make or break the overall look of the diamond. The shoulders and wings slope gently into each other, but these two parts can amplify the beauty of a diamond.
The shoulders and wings should be gently rounded. This allows you to avoid having a diamond that appears too narrow because of flattened wings or too short because of overly-rounded wing edges.
Evaluating The Pear Diamond
Fancy shapes tend to be scrutinized more because they challenge the basic dimensions. Getting a unique shape for your center stone is just one part of the equation. If that shape is not enhanced and maximized, you might end up with a poorly-cut, muddled, and flat-looking stone that does not do your ring justice.
As with other diamond cuts, the color and clarity can provide a good foundation for how you will evaluate your stone. Use a pear shaped diamond size chart when possible. If you already have a trusted jeweler, chances are they can provide this additional service to further guide you in choosing the right stone.
Color
Most fancy shape diamonds tend to show and reflect color. Because of this, you may want to allot your resources to get a diamond that has the rating of H or higher in terms of color if you will set it on a white gold or platinum metal band. For those who want the warmer colors of rose gold or gold, go for a lower color grading so it can match the soft yellow tones. Just put the budget on a bigger stone or accessory side stones.
Clarity
Rounded diamond cuts tend to lessen the visible inclusions in the stone. Combine this with the pointed edge, which hides even more inclusions, and you may lessen your resource allotment in this regard. Of course, the whiter you prefer your stone, the fewer inclusions you will want seen in general. Make sure to match your taste with the technical aspects of concealing inclusions in diamonds for the best results.
Bow-tie effect: The vulnerability of poorly-cut diamonds
Fancy diamonds may be a nice choice to differentiate your ring from traditional or classic fine jewelry. But you need to be careful about its biggest vulnerability: bow ties.
If you have ever seen two black triangles that look like inclusions within a diamond, chances are this stone has been poorly-cut. Bow ties in diamonds result in darkened areas within the diamonds. These are imperfections that come from the lack of light obstruction. With a poorly-cut fancy-shaped diamond, this can result in what looks like dark shadows trapped within the stone.
How to deal with bow ties?
This may cause issues for those who like a nice icy-like sparkle to their diamonds. Usually, people will agree when asked, “Do pear shaped diamonds sparkle?” With the proper cut, good scintillation, and enough fire to the cut, pear-shaped diamonds can truly sparkle brightly.
Bow ties can detract from this beauty because they appear to break the sparkle near the shoulders of the pear diamond. Worse, bow ties rarely disappear, regardless of the angle that one tries to view the diamond.
To Buy Or Not To Buy? Weighing The Pros And Cons
Before you settle on the shape of your engagement ring, it’s good to explore the pear shaped diamonds pros and cons. While a nice unique shape may be interesting, some other factors can greatly contribute to the niceness of your ring in the long run.
Size
When you are working on a budget, it pays to use as much illusion as possible without giving up the quality of the gemstone.
You can go about deciding on the size in two ways. The first is to opt for the best ration expected for pear shaped diamonds. This ranges from 1.40 to 1.70, in terms of how slim or how rounded the top part of the diamond is. Some consider this range to feature the best shapes of the diamond, so taste will definitely be a huge factor. Note that some of these shapes may be a better match for certain jewelry designs.
According to Lumera Diamonds, narrower shapes will look more elegant as dangling earrings. A wider shoulder may work well for set rings. In terms of size, the pear-shaped diamond may be bigger compared to the round diamond, both in appearance and actual size. They can be bigger by as much as 8% when viewed from the top. This works out for those who are on a budget. Even with a smaller ring, a pear shaped diamond can look bigger from afar.
Cost
Even with the bigger size, however, one reason why some prefer a pear shaped diamond is its price tag. While all diamond shapes require a certain degree of near-perfect symmetry, this seems to be an even bigger issue for the pear shaped diamond. The common question asked about this diamond cut always goes back to, “Is a pear shaped diamond cheaper?”
If one compares this to the traditional favorite round diamonds, then the answer is a definite yes. Pear-shaped diamonds can be cheaper by as much as 30% of the same carat weight as a round-shaped diamond.
Style
Beyond the statistics and the cost comparisons, the pear-shaped diamond can also be the best choice for those who want a little bit of everything in terms of style. If you have ever wondered, “Are pear shaped diamonds good?” especially when it comes to style, then it’s good to note that they are a versatile style.
The teardrop shape is a classic favorite, particularly for engaged couples who prefer a different feel to their ring. When set in more antique styles, they can become a great center stone, especially for colored side stones.
Modern styles of ring settings can also accommodate the pear-shaped diamond. For instance, tension rings with a pear-shaped diamond stone have the sensibilities of an edgy setting but the vibe of a classical look. Rounded edges for the setting may give it the delicate twirl finish it needs to avoid feeling very cold and hard as a ring design.
Cut and Symmetry
Symmetry can be a deciding factor when it comes to judging how beautifully crafted your diamond is. Pear shapes need to be as perfectly symmetrical as possible. To ascertain this, try to imagine a line that runs down the middle of the diamond’s body.
Note that everything, from the shape as seen from a bird’s eye view, down to the sloping of the diamond’s shoulders and wings need to be symmetrical for both sides. For jewelry enthusiasts, if the diamond already feels off by even just a few, it’s better to shell out a few more. In the long run, the brilliance and the bouncing of light can definitely be affected by shape. This might become more pronounced the more you look at your diamond ring.
Durability
Perhaps the biggest issue that some jewelry enthusiasts have with the pear-shaped diamond would be its vulnerability to wear and tear. All diamonds undoubtedly face the danger of getting chipped on surfaces. For wedding bands and engagement rings, fancy shapes take second priority precisely because of this.
They tend to have more unique shapes, and therefore, this becomes a weak point. Snags on clothing, banging on surfaces, and dirt caked on corners become commonplace. This can mean either of two things. You need to keep a strict schedule for maintenance to avoid unwanted chipping. Or if you’re not the type to maintain your fine jewelry, this may result in easier breakage and tarnishing.
Buying A Pear-Shaped Diamond: Factors To Consider
Before heading to your favorite jewelry store, consider some very important factors that can affect your ring’s overall look. Because of its fancy shape, the pear-shaped diamond may be more sensitive to things like setting and cuts, so make sure you do a fair amount of window shopping before settling on your chosen style and store.
Price per carat
While a pear-shaped diamond definitely takes the cake over the traditional round diamond, you may want to see where exactly you are putting your money in. A good question to ask is, “How much is a 1 carat pear shaped diamond worth?” Start your hunt by being aware of the price per carat. In this way, you know what to expect in the market, and you can also consider balancing the carat size with a better cut.
As with other diamonds, the cut may sometimes be more important than the carat size. A less clear diamond can greatly sparkle if the jeweler cutting it has the skill to bring out the sparkle or lessen the bow tie effect. More importantly, the price of a 1 carat pear-shaped diamond can vary depending on the store you visit.
If you are looking for the basic average cost, it’s good to assume that 1 carat will be priced somewhere between $2,300 to below $5,000. This can vary depending on the clarity, color, cut, and carat, so it’s just as important to know how these values can work for you.
Settings matter greatly
Round and cushion cut diamonds may be more flexible in terms of setting styles. They are virtually adaptable to any type of setting. When choosing a pear-shaped diamond, keep in mind that the shape should be the star factor of the ring.
Some settings can detract away from the shape if you are not careful. Consider wider bands; they may have a unique appeal, but if you have a narrower pear shape, this shape might get lost in the overall design.
More importantly, setting also becomes important when you want to prolong the diamond’s durability. As fancy shapes are more vulnerable to chipping or catching on clothing and other surfaces, you need to protect its point.
The best setting styles
Jewelers recommend using a six-prong setting for a pear shaped engagement ring. The five prongs protect the head, shoulders, and wings, whereas the sixth one is meant solely for the point. If you opt to have a smaller stone, a five-prong setting works just as well. Plus, it will not drown the shape of your stone.
For those who prefer a more modern take on the pear shaped diamond’s setting, a tension setting works wonders. The metal wraps around the head and the point and uses tension to hold the stone in place. Considering this shape, it protects the point while keeping the shoulders and wings exposed. With the right curve on the point, this still displays the pear shape beautifully without sacrificing the ring’s overall durability.
Making online purchases
Nowadays, many more people prefer to buy their jewelry from an online shop. Apart from the convenience, some international jewelry makers feature designs that may appeal to one’s taste. This breaks the limiting barrier of physical space so you can expand your taste and preference to encompass much bigger territory.
However, with this comes the very big possibility of trust issues. Scams continue to exist, and if one is not careful, it’s so easy to fall prey to bogus sellers and packages online. As such, it pays to do some research before making that online buy. Go for trusted sellers who conduct their business officially through their websites.
Prefer more bespoke and upcoming new jewelry designers? Try to explore the market and see the recommendations from various other buyers. Even budding jewelry designers will have a following, so take the time and effort to look them up and see how they fare among customers.
If you want to learn more about other uniquely shaped rings, read “How Modified Cut Diamonds Changed The Game Of Brilliance.”