Oval Brilliant Diamonds Shape

The oval's technical name is "oval modified brilliant," based upon its shape and modifications of the traditional round brilliant configuration. The oval was invented by Lazare Kaplan in the early 1960's.

The oval is seen most frequently cut in the standard 58 facet brilliant pattern, but can have a varying number of pavilion main facets ranging from 4, 6 or 8.

In the oval brilliant, as with marquise shapes and other elongated fancy shapes, there is an increased likelihood of having a "bow tie." This is a dark area in the shape of a man's bow tie that occurs when the angles of the cut are not optimum. This facet misalignment can detract from the brilliance, especially if it is an exaggerated or overly dark bow tie effect.

The prices for ovals are relatively high because of the strong demand. They have become very popular for center diamonds for engagement rings and the three stone oval rings is very popular for anniversary gifts.

Advice: Look for even, well rounded ends with a full body having an optimal length-to-width ratio of 1.33-1.55. We seek ovals with depth 58-65.4% and table 52-64%. Seek minimal bow tie effect. Ovals provide a bigger surface area than a round with the same carat weight and therefore are an excellent option for shoppers looking for the brilliance of the round but a bigger size for their dollars. We recommend at least I color and SI1 clarity for oval shaped diamonds.

The following photos are only a sampling of oval cut diamond ring styles. Hundreds of mounting styles look great with oval cut diamonds so just email us a picture of the style you like and we can get you a price quote. You can also check out our Design Gallery for pictures of mountings from some of our suppliers.