Marquise vs Pear Diamond: Two Long Shapes, Side by Side

Both shapes are brilliant cuts, so both sparkle more than step cuts like the emerald. The choice is mostly about the outline you like and how much stone you want to see per carat.

The marquise wins on spread. Its long, thin outline puts more of the stone on top, where you see it, and less in the depth below. A 1 carat marquise measures roughly 10 by 5 millimeters. A 1 carat pear is roughly 7.7 by 5.7 millimeters. A 1 carat round, for scale, is about 6.5 millimeters across.

So for the same weight, the marquise looks longer and the pear looks fuller. On a hand, a marquise covers more finger from knuckle to tip, and a pear covers more width near the round end. Neither is the wrong answer. If you want the most visible length for your money, pick the marquise; if you want a stone that looks bigger without looking stretched, pick the pear.

For how sizes change with weight, see carat size on the hand.

Ratio is length divided by width. It decides whether a long shape looks slim or chunky.

• Marquise: about 1.75 to 2.25 is the usual range. Near 1.85 it looks balanced. Past 2.20 it gets needle-thin and looks smaller from the front.
• Pear: about 1.45 to 1.75. Near 1.50 it looks classic and full; near 1.70 it looks long and slim.

Retailers and labs do not agree on exact cut-offs, so judge with your eyes. Look at the outline too: on a marquise, the two halves should mirror each other end to end; on a pear, the shoulders of the round end should not be flat or bulging. Read length to width ratio for more examples.

Long brilliant shapes often show a darker band across the middle that looks like a bow tie. It happens because light hits the facets in the center at an angle that sends some of it out the side instead of back to your eye. Marquise and pear both have it. Almost every stone shows a little; a heavy one makes the middle of the stone look dead.

You cannot judge a bow-tie from a grading report. You judge it with your eyes, in person or on video, while the stone moves. That is one reason to compare these rings side by side in the showroom before you choose.

Points are the fragile part of any diamond. Diamond is very hard, but a sharp point can still chip if it hits a door frame or a counter at the wrong angle.

• Marquise: two points, one at each end of the finger. Both need protection.
• Pear: one point, normally worn toward the fingertip. The round end is strong.

The fix is the same for both: a V-shaped prong or a bezel tip over every point. With that in place, both shapes wear fine every day. Check the prongs every few months; our prong check guide shows how. For setting styles, read prong vs bezel.

Color tends to gather at the points of a long stone, so a slightly warm diamond can show a tint at the tips. That is true for both shapes, and a little more for the marquise, since it has two tips. Every ring we compare here is graded E color, the second-whitest grade on GIA's D-to-Z scale, so the points stay white.

Clarity is easier. Both are brilliant cuts with lots of facets that hide small inclusions. At VS1, inclusions take effort to find under 10x magnification and the stone looks clean on the hand. You would only need to worry about clarity much more with step cuts. The full grade explanation is in E color VS1 diamond rings.

Marquise lab rings:

Pear lab rings:

The marquise group has the wider spread. R-0077 at $1,050 is one of the lowest priced rings in the house collection, and R-0062 at $8,500 is the most expensive lab ring we carry, with 7.04 carats total. The pears sit in a tighter band, from $2,800 to $5,300, and several carry big centers: R-0001 has a 4.01 carat center and R-0002 has 3.08 carats in the center for $2,800.

Pick a marquise if you want the longest look on the finger, a vintage or bold style, or the most visible size for the weight. It makes short fingers look longer and works well in yellow gold, which matches its old-world feel.

Pick a pear if you want something softer than a marquise but more distinctive than a round or oval. The single point is a little easier to live with, and the round end gives the ring a fuller look. It suits both white and yellow gold.

Still deciding between more shapes? Read pear vs oval and how to pick an engagement ring shape.

Both shapes can leave a small gap next to a straight wedding band, because the points or the round end stick out past the band line. A curved or contoured band closes the gap. Some people like the gap and the clean line it makes; it is a style choice. A marquise usually sits better with a band that dips gently in the middle, and a pear usually wants a band that curves around the round end. Match the gold karat and color of the band to the ring so they wear evenly.

• Solitaire: works for both and shows the outline best. Make sure every point has a V-prong.
• Side stones or pave band: a marquise leads the eye out to the sides, so side stones feel natural. A pear with side stones looks fuller and adds weight.
• Halo: a halo follows the outline and makes either stone look bigger from a distance. It also guards the points.
• Bezel: the most protection for the points, with a little less sparkle.

The weight split matters in our case too. R-0058, a pear, has a 1.02 carat center inside 3.85 carats total, so most of its weight is in side stones. R-0002 puts 3.08 of its 4.49 carats in the center. Read both numbers on every listing; total carat weight explains why.

Our marquise rings are mostly 14K white gold, with R-0009 in 14K yellow and R-0052 in 10K white. Our pears split between 14K yellow and 14K white, plus R-0067 in platinum at $5,300. White metal makes an E color stone look its coolest and keeps the points crisp. Yellow gold gives a marquise its vintage feel and makes a pear look warm and soft. See yellow vs white gold for the full trade.

1. Hold both shapes at arm's length. The one you notice first is usually the one you will love.
2. If chip risk worries you, the pear has one point to protect instead of two.
3. If you want the most visible size per carat, the marquise wins.
4. If you want a ring that reads softer and more romantic, the pear wins.
5. Compare a few real rings at the same budget. In our case, R-0069 is a marquise with 2.50 carats total at $2,800, and R-0002 is a pear with 4.49 carats total at $2,800.

Every ring here has its price on the site and checks out online. All sales are final, so confirm the ring size first; the 7-day window covers manufacturing defects and shipping is insured. To put a marquise and a pear on the same hand, visit 7900 NW 27th Ave, Unit 506, Miami, or call 954-504-5640. Shop them directly at marquise lab rings and pear lab rings.