Pear

Pear

Pear Shaped Diamond

Jewelers consider the pear shaped diamond a “fancy shape,” meaning it’s a shape other than round. Reminiscent of a tear drop, a pear shaped diamond blends the best of the round and marquise diamond shapes.
Since the parts of a pear shaped diamond contribute to its beauty, you should get to know them. Then you can shop for a pear shaped diamond engagement ring with a discerning eye.
Look at the diamond face-up and pay attention to its outline. A pear shaped diamond should have gently rounded shoulders and wings. The wings should form attractive arches. If they’re too flat, they make the stone look too narrow. If they’re too rounded, they make it look short and stubby.
The pear shaped diamond, like the round brilliant diamond, is faceted to deliver the most sparkle and brilliance. Here are the names of important parts of a faceted diamond, which you should know and are used in this blog:
Culet: The culet is a small facet at the bottom of the pavilion of a finished gem intended to prevent chipping and abrasion of the fragile tip. Some gems have no facet in this area, which is often called a closed culet.
Crown: The top part of a gem located above the girdle.
Girdle: A narrow band that circumscribes the edge of the plane separating the crown and pavilion.
Pavilion: The portion of a polished gem that is below the girdle. The purpose of pavilion facets is to reflect light toward the crown.
Table: A large facet in the center of the crown.
Like many other fancy shapes (such as the marquise or heart shape), a pear shaped diamond tends to hold more color than a round brilliant. Therefore, it is best to choose a diamond that is high on the Evaanta color scale or a fancy-color diamond.

Look for symmetry in a pear shaped diamond

Symmetry is key to the overall beauty of gemstones, but it’s even more important in some fancy-shape diamonds like oval diamonds, heart shaped diamonds, marquise diamonds and pear shapes. To see if a pear shaped diamond is symmetrical, draw an imaginary line down the length of the gem and examine the two halves. The more closely they mirror each other, the better the symmetry is.
Notice how the shoulders, bellies and wings in the illustration below are identical on either side of the line, and how the shape, size and placement of the facets in each half of the stone mirror one another. This is an ideal pear shape. You can use the illustration as a guide when picking a pear shaped diamond.
A bow-tie can vary from light gray to black. The darker or larger it is, the more it detracts from the face-up appearance of a pear shaped diamond. A bow-tie gets darker as the difference between a diamond’s length and width increases and pavilion angle variations (the measured angle between the pavilion main facet plane and the table plane) become more extreme.
When Evaanta diamond graders evaluate the symmetry of fancy-shape diamonds, which includes pear shapes, they also look for things like a balanced and even outline. Certain types of asymmetry and uneven proportions are considered by most in the jewelry trade to have a negative effect on the appearance of a pear shaped diamond. These include:
Uneven shoulders and uneven wings are other variations that will detract from the appearance of a pear shaped diamond. The illustration below has both.
The ideal length-to-width ratio is the one you prefer : You might run into the phrase “length-to-width ratio” (comparison of the length and width of the outline of many fancy-shape diamonds, determined by dividing the diamond’s length by its width and stated as a ratio, like 1.75:1). Many experts prefer a length-to-width ratio that lies in the range of about 1.50–1.75:1. Others in the trade believe that a ratio isn’t enough to convey a diamond’s beauty. You may want to let your heart and eye guide you.
Check culet placement and position of inclusions : The placement of the culet on a pear shaped diamond can affect its appearance. It should be the same distance from the two sides of the diamond. A culet that is off-center will affect the diamond’s symmetry and is likely to make it less attractive. In some pear shapes, the culet is included in a keel line that extends down the length of the diamond where the pavilion facets meet. Like the culet, the keel line should be equidistant from either side of the diamond.
Make sure the table is centered on a pear shaped diamond : A poorly placed table facet can also make a pear shaped diamond look less attractive. For maximum brightness and fire, the table should be centered on the line of symmetry.
Many pear shaped diamonds show a dark pattern that resembles a bow-tie. This pattern typically runs across the width of the stone from the center of the table. The bow-tie on a well-cut pear shaped diamond should be minimal, but there will still be good contrast between light and dark areas in the stone.
If you find the bow-tie effect distracting, be sure to examine a variety of pear shaped diamonds from different angles under the lighting conditions in which the engagement ring will be worn. You may not be able to avoid a bow-tie altogether, but you should be able to find a stone in which it is subtle.

Pear Cut Diamond

Choose a setting that protects the point of a pear shaped diamond : The most vulnerable part of a pear shaped diamond is the point. This area can be protected by placing a V-prong on the point or choosing a bezel setting around the entire stone.
Point up or down? You decide how to wear a pear shaped diamond : The traditional way to wear a pear shaped diamond engagement ring is to have the tip pointing away from you (down). According to many in the trade, this makes the finger look more slender. But tradition has its limits. Some brides choose to wear this shape with the point toward them (up). And some prefer a horizontal setting that gives this classic diamond shape a distinctive, contemporary look.