Natural Marquise Diamonds

The marquise — also called the navette — is the most face-up-size-efficient of all standard diamond shapes: a well-proportioned 1.00ct stone covers roughly 49 mm² face-up, nearly 50% more than a 1.00ct round brilliant at about 33 mm². Symmetry is paramount — both pointed tips must sit on a single straight axis and the two curved wings must mirror each other exactly — while the tips concentrate body colour, making a one-grade step up advisable in white metal settings, and V-prongs at both points essential.