Marquise cut diamonds

We love a good back story and this one we want to share with you.

Have you ever given a second thought to why the marquise cut diamond has its name? Well, diamonds became popular as ornaments in jewellery in the 1400s and the different techniques and styles of diamond cuts, such as the marquise cut diamond were gradually developed over many years.

The marquise cut is also known as the “navette cut”. The history and creation of the marquise cut is credited to King Louis XV of France, who commissioned his court jeweller to create a diamond cut to reflect the beautiful shape of the mouth of his mistress the Marchioness Madame de Pompadour.

The description of a marquise cut diamond is: the marquise or navette shape is like a long oval which has been stretched out to a point at each end. A marquise should have an aspect ratio of 2:1 for the classic boat-shaped stone. They are most often seen as center diamonds for engagement rings and wedding rings to balance the long, narrow shape.

And now you know.