Marquise

A marquise is a long brilliant with a point at each end, sometimes called a navette, French for little boat. Its outline spreads further across the finger than any other shape, so it looks larger per carat than a round, oval or pear of the same weight.

Legend links it to the French court of Louis XV and the Marquise de Pompadour. Whatever the truth of the story, the shape has a long romantic history and has found a new generation of admirers.

The two halves of a marquise should mirror each other exactly, and the points should line up. Asymmetry is easy to see in such a long shape. Most marquise diamonds also show a bow-tie across the centre; a faint one is normal, a dark one is a sign to keep looking.

Both tips are vulnerable to chipping, so each should sit in a V-shaped claw. Six-claw settings, with two claws on each side as well, are common for larger stones.

Colour can gather at the points, so G or above is a good target if you want a white look in platinum or white gold. Clarity is forgiving: an eye-clean VS2 is usually enough.

A marquise solitaire is striking on its own. Set east-west, it becomes subtle and modern. Small marquise diamonds also make beautiful accents, arranged in clusters or scattered along a band.