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Oval Diamonds

Oval diamonds have a long, elegant shape. Because Ovals are cut in the same manner as round diamonds, they are one of the most brilliant and sparkly diamond shapes. They have other advantages too, such as looking larger than other diamond shapes, and making fingers look longer. They are also less expensive than round diamonds! However, because GIA does not grade Ovals for “cut,” it is important to fully understand Oval specifications, as well as “bow-tie effect” and the length to width ratio.

Table, Depth & Other Specifications for Ideal Oval Diamonds

How well an Oval is cut is the most crucial factor in maximizing the beauty. So, you want to make sure you understand the ideal cut specifications. Notably, the GIA does not grade Oval diamonds, or other fancy shapes, for cut. In other words, if you see a cut grade associated with an Oval, it is a grade given by the jeweler. To help our couples, we have included our suggestions for choosing a beautiful, well-proportioned oval below.

BOWTIES

  • All oval diamonds have a bowtie area. This is because the width facets are shorter and steeper than the length facets.
  • Overly dark bowties should be avoided as they are distracting.
  • Watery bowties should be avoided as they lose sparkle.

CONTRAST/BRILLIANCE

“Contrast” is the darker areas of reflection within a stone, as compared with the bright reflective areas known as “brilliance.” The best oval cut diamonds have evenly spaced dark and light areas throughout the stone. This ensures you’ll have the most sparkle!

Here is an example of an ideally cut oval with even contrast/brilliance and even bowtie, compared with an oval with a distracting, dark bowtie.

Here is what we recommend:

IDEAL/EXCELLENTPREMIUMGOOD
TABLE53-6262.5-6363.5+
DEPTH60-6262.5-6464.5+

 

Color Recommendations for Oval Diamonds

The color grade of a diamond refers to how much yellow tint (or lack of yellow tint) the diamond shows. Smaller Oval stones hide color better than larger Ovals do, so depending on the size of diamond you purchase, you may not need to buy a colorless (D-F) diamond even if you want your diamond to appear colorless. The chart below will help you decide on the color grade to purchase based on if you want a colorless diamond, a diamond with a slight tint of color, or a warmer diamond.

Here is an example of an D colored oval diamond next to an I colored oval diamond:

The following is what we recommend:

WHITE METALYELLOW OR ROSE METAL
>1ctD-GD-I
1-2ctD-GD-H
2+ctD-FD-G

Clarity Recommendations for Oval Diamonds

The clarity grade of a diamond is how “crystal clear” it is, or the amount of internal marks (“inclusions“) it has. Most couples we work with want an “eye clean” diamond. That is, a stone in which inclusions cannot be seen by the naked eye. The clarity grade you will need in order to maintain eye clean appearance changes with size. This is because larger stones can receive high clarity grades while still having relatively small eye-visible inclusions. Luckily, because Oval diamonds are cut like rounds, in general, Ovals hide blemishes relatively well.

Each couple will have their own standard for clarity. Some may be perfectly comfortable with inclusions as long as they cannot easily see it. Others may insist on a more technically flawless stone. Every engagement ring purchased from Do Amore is confirmed “eye-clean.” We inform the customer if it isn’t.

Here is an example of a VS1 clarity oval, as compared with an SI1 clarity oval diamond:

The following is what we recommend to our couples:

CLARITY
>1ctSI1+
1-2ctVS2+
2+ctVS1+

Length to Width Ratio for Oval Diamonds

All diamonds in our conflict free diamond search engine have the length to width listed. This ratio, which is simply the length divided by the width, determines how skinny or wide your Oval diamond is. The larger the length to width ratio, the longer it is (a tall and slender Oval). The smaller the length to width ratio, the wider and more rounded it is. Our personal favorite range for an Oval is 1.35-1.50.

1.35 Ratio Oval Diamond

1.35

1.40 Ratio Oval Diamond

1.40

1.45 Ratio Oval Diamond

1.45

Money Tips

When looking for an Oval, make sure to always maximize measurements. For example, you can have a 1.0 carat Oval with the measurements 7.2 x 5.0 mm that is ideally cut. But there could also be a 0.98 carat Oval with measurements 7.3 x 5.2 mm that is just as ideally cut, and probably cheaper. If all else were equal, the second option may be better. All of our “Recommended” conflict free diamonds have had their dimensions reviewed to make sure they are maximized within ideal cut parameters.

 

3 Things to Ask Your Jeweler

  • 01.

    Photo & Video - Always ask the jeweler you are buying from for a detailed picture or video. Look for elegant length-to-width ratio and minimal bow-tie.

  • 02.

    Inspect It - Ask the jeweler to have a gemologist pull the diamond and actually visually inspect it. Confirm eye-clean appearance!

  • 03.

    Measure It - Make sure your diamond’s measurements are maximized within your carat size.