What Is a Marquise Diamond? Size, Ratio, Prongs and Bands

A marquise engagement ring is the ring people either fall for at first sight or rule out without a second look. If you are in the first group, the real questions are practical: how big it will look, how to tell a good one, and how to set it so its two points survive daily life in Dubai.

What is a marquise diamond?

A long brilliant-cut diamond whose curved sides meet in a point at each end. Its other French name, navette, means a small boat or a weaving shuttle. Cut with 56 to 58 facets, it sparkles much like a round.

The story told in the trade is that Louis XV of France asked for a stone cut to the curve of the Marquise de Pompadour's lips. It is a story rather than a record, but the name stuck. The shape had a revival in the 1970s, and it is back in view as UAE jewellers report long shapes leading engagement ring requests.

Why a marquise looks the largest per carat

Carat is weight, and a marquise spreads its weight along the finger. At 1 ct our designer draws it at about 10.5 × 5.2 mm, against about 6.5 mm for a round: 4 mm, or about 60%, longer, with about 15% more face-up area.

Carat	Marquise	Round	Extra length
0.50 ct	8.3 × 4.1 mm	5.2 mm	3.1 mm
1.00 ct	10.5 × 5.2 mm	6.5 mm	4.0 mm
1.50 ct	12.0 × 6.0 mm	7.4 mm	4.6 mm
2.00 ct	13.2 × 6.6 mm	8.2 mm	5.0 mm
3.00 ct	15.1 × 7.5 mm	9.4 mm	5.7 mm

These are our designer's sizes, length first; real stones vary with the cut. The narrow width helps too: on a UAE size 52 finger, about 16.5 mm across, a 1 ct marquise covers about 32% of the width against 39% for a round, so the finger reads slimmer. Our diamond size chart covers all eight shapes.

The ratio: how long is long enough

Divide length by width. The classic marquise is about twice as long as it is wide, and most buyers look for roughly 1.75 to 2.25; our designer's stone works out at 2.02.

• Under 1.75: short and full, close to a pointed oval.
• 1.75 to 2.00: softer, with more width on the finger.
• 2.00 to 2.25: slender, the most length for the weight.
• Over 2.25: thin, with fine points that are harder to protect.

Ratio is taste; symmetry is not. Each half should mirror the other, and both points should sit on one straight line. A grading report lists the measurements, so do the division yourself; our guide to diamond certificates shows where to find them.

The bow-tie

Most marquise diamonds show a darker band across the middle, shaped like a bow tie, where the central facets return less light to your eye. Ovals and pears show it too, and a grading report does not describe it. A faint shadow that shifts as you tilt the stone is normal; a solid dark band visible from arm's length is a stone to pass on. Ask for a video in daylight, or compare two stones side by side.

Protecting the points

Diamond is hard but not unbreakable: a sharp knock on a door frame or a gym bar can chip the thin tip of a marquise. The answer is a V-prong at each end, a small chevron of gold that wraps the point so it never meets the world bare. A bezel, a rim of gold around the whole stone, protects more but hides some of the outline.

Ask how the points are held before you approve any ring. Sand, handwashing and daily wear all work on prongs, which is why we suggest bringing the ring in once a year for a check of the settings, as our warranty and aftercare page explains. The warranty covers defects in how a ring is made, not accidental knocks, so a well-held point is still the best protection.

North-south or east-west

North-south, with the points along the finger, lengthens the hand; it is the classic orientation and the one our designer draws. East-west, across the finger, looks quieter and more modern, but a 1 ct stone then spans about 10.5 of the 16.5 mm width of a size 52 finger, its points facing bag straps and doors. That is a bespoke request rather than a designer option.

Which wedding bands sit flush

Set north-south, a marquise is far longer than its band is wide, so a straight wedding band meets the tip first and leaves a gap. Three ways round it:

• A contoured band: a V or curve that follows the point and nests against it.
• A raised head: the stone sits high enough for a straight band to slide under the point.
• A deliberate gap: a straight band worn slightly apart, for clean lines.

A ring from our designer is made around your choices, so decide the pairing before you approve it. Our wedding band guide covers widths and profiles.

Marquise Shoulders: our signature setting

One of the five settings in our designer is built around this shape. Marquise Shoulders sets eight marquise diamonds along the shoulders. With a marquise in the centre, the whole ring speaks one language of points and curves; with a round or oval, the shoulders add a pointed contrast.

Try a 1 ct marquise in Marquise Shoulders, in yellow gold, then a marquise solitaire in white gold, anywhere from 0.30 to 3.00 ct, lab-grown or natural.

Questions we hear at the counter

How big is a 1 carat marquise diamond? About 10.5 × 5.2 mm in our designer: the longest of our eight shapes at that weight, with the most face-up area.

Marquise, pear or oval? All three lengthen the finger. The marquise gives the most length for the weight, the oval the softest outline, and the pear sits between with one point. Our diamond shapes guide compares all eight.

Does a marquise cost less than a round? Across the market it usually does, at the same weight and grades. For our price, send your design on WhatsApp.

At Mazimo. Design the ring on a hand at true size in our ring designer and send it to us on WhatsApp for the price, or come and see stones and settings at Al Manal Center, Deira, a few minutes' walk from the Gold Souk. Every ring is made in 18K gold, hallmarked in Dubai, and delivered insured across the UAE at no charge.