Why Pear-Shaped Diamonds Create a Longer, More Elegant Look

Pear-shaped diamonds, known for their unique and eye-catching shape, are a popular choice for those who want a combination of classic beauty and a special touch. These diamonds are also called teardrop diamonds and blend the shine of a round cut with the boldness of a marquise, making them both versatile and stylish. They are a graceful option for rings that have a timeless and elegant feel. Many famous diamonds in history have this shape, like the nearly 70-carat Taylor-Burton diamond, which was bought for Elizabeth Taylor in 1969. Pear-shaped diamonds are a great choice for rings because their soft, asymmetrical pointed tip makes them look bigger than round stones and flatters various hand shapes.

Who invented the pear-shaped diamond?

Rare carat gives pear shape, like other complex and symmetrical diamond cuts, was made possible by Lodewyk van Bercken, a 15th-century Flemish inventor.

He created a tool called a "skeif," which is a polishing wheel that uses olive oil and diamond dust to cut and shape diamonds precisely and efficiently. This innovation changed the diamond industry, making diamonds more beautiful than ever before and leading to the creation of the pear shape.

How should I set a pear-shaped diamond?

Pear-shaped diamonds, also called teardrops, can come in both brilliant and step cut patterns.

For step cuts, it's best to choose higher clarity in like Rare Carat. Traditionally, these stones are worn with the point facing away from the wearer, but there's no strict rule—you can wear them however you prefer. Some designs set the stone lengthwise across the finger, known as a "transverse" or "east-west" setting.

When selecting a pear-shaped diamond, symmetry and proportions are key.

Here are some important terms to understand when looking at the stone.

What does a pear-shaped diamond look like?

The pear shape, also known as the teardrop shape, mixes the elegance of a round brilliant cut with the unique look of a marquise.

It has a rounded end and a pointed end, resembling a teardrop or a pear. These diamonds are facetted to maximize brilliance and sparkle, with a larger, rounded top and a narrower, pointed bottom. The pear shape offers a graceful and elongated look, making it popular for engagement rings and pendant necklaces. If you are looking for a better diamond, then visit the shop at Rare Carat.

Elegant Symmetry: The pear shape combines the best parts of round and marquise cuts, offering elegance and a symmetrical appearance.

Illusion of Length: The long shape of a pear-shaped diamond can create the illusion of longer, thinner fingers.

Versatility: Pear-shaped diamonds can be set in many styles, from single stones to halo or side stone designs, giving a lot of design flexibility.

Vintage Appeal: Pear-shaped diamonds have a timeless quality and are often associated with vintage and antique styles.

Unique and Romantic: Their special shape makes pear-shaped engagement rings stand out, symbolizing uniqueness and romance.

Flattering: The pear shape is known for looking flattering on a wide range of hand shapes and sizes.

Here's what we look for when choosing your pear diamond:

Similar to oval cuts, pear-shaped diamonds can show a 'bow-tie' effect in the middle of the stone.

We carefully choose stones with minimal bow-tie effects, but that still display the natural contrast between light and shadow within the diamond.

Symmetry is crucial for pear-cut diamonds, with both sides perfectly matching to create a well-proportioned shape.

Like emerald cuts, the long shape naturally enhances the appearance of the finger, giving a graceful and slender look.

The length-to-width ratio of a pear-cut diamond is also important when choosing a stone.

A longer ratio creates a more extended look, while a shorter ratio has a rounder, softer shape.

What pear shape looks good on my finger?

Ratio is another factor to consider when choosing a pear-shaped diamond.

The higher the ratio, the longer the shape looks. If you have long, thin fingers, you might want a stretched stone with a thinner middle to match your anatomy. Stones that are very stretched lengthwise may be called "pendeloque." Those with shorter and wider fingers may prefer a stone with broader shoulders to create a lengthening effect.

What setting should I choose for a pear shape?

Pear-shaped diamonds can be worn as a single stone or paired with other stones in various designs.

You can go for a delicate halo, add side stones, or even find a fun cocktail cluster setting. However, it's important to make sure whatever style you choose protects the pointed end of the stone, as this area is more prone to damage.

What setting should I choose for a pear shape?

Pear-shaped diamonds can be worn as a single stone or paired with other stones in various designs.

A unique and complex shape, the pear cut is becoming more popular, and you'll see more of this beautiful diamond in the coming months.

As with all diamonds, choose the one that looks best to you.

We have uploaded a series of videos that serve as a guide to buying diamonds on the Rare Carat YouTube channel. Rare Carat Behind the scenes - Handcrafting your ring

Pear Cut, Color, and Clarity.

As we've learned, these modified brilliants, or fancy cuts, tend to keep their color better than round diamonds, especially in that small teardrop tip. For this reason, when it comes to color, I’ll give you the same advice I gave for marquise cuts: go for a color grade of 'G' or higher for a stone around 1 carat, and even better, like 'D-F', if you're choosing a stone larger than 1.5 carats. However, if you're planning to set your pear cut in a gold or rose gold band, you can go a bit warmer in color because the gold band will make the stone appear whiter.

When it comes to clarity, similar to marquise cuts, you can consider stones in the range, as pears are good at hiding small imperfections.

That said, you still need to be careful about where the inclusions are placed. For this reason, I’ll repeat myself—always, always, always check the actual diamond before buying. You should look for a high-definition 360-degree video and get the opinion of one of our graduate gemologists before making a purchase. I also recommend only buying a pear-cut diamond that has a GIA grade.