The Growing Popularity of the Oval Diamond

Oval diamonds represent the earliest of modern diamond cuts. Before oval cuts, loose diamonds that were used for jewelry were hard, shiny and lustrous, but had little in the way of fire or brilliance. In fact, if you’ve seen painting of diamonds from 350 – 500 years ago, you’ve probably noticed that they appear black. The very simple diamond cuts that were available prior to the advent of oval diamonds made for a dark and – to modern eyes – relatively lifeless appearance.

Diamond in the Rough

For all their beauty and brilliance, diamonds found in nature are relatively dull looking, appearing more like lumps of grey coal – a substance to which they are chemically identical. It takes a great deal of polishing and carefully calculated cuts to bring out the innate fire and brilliance of loose diamonds. Fortunately, modern technologies such as computer-aided design and laser cutting has made the creation of fiery, brilliant stones such as oval diamonds more efficient than ever before in history.

A Relatively New Innovation

Popularity of various cuts for loose diamonds has waxed and waned over the decades. The most popular of all cut diamonds is the round brilliant; it is considered the “ideal cut” because it results in the best ratio of proportion to brilliance.

Oval diamonds are a recent innovation; it is similar to the round brilliant, except for its more elliptical shape. The first oval diamonds were cut by Lazare Kaplan over forty years ago, and usually has 56 facets, or faces. Oval diamonds ideally have a rose-like appearance on the top and a discernable star pattern on the bottom.

When placed in a ring setting, these diamonds are invariably placed along their north-south axis, with the long ends oriented toward the base and tip of the finger; they are never oriented east and west.

Evaluation of Diamonds

All loose diamonds should undergo an appraisal and a certification by an independent gemology lab prior to finalization of the sale. That said, flaws in the cuts of oval diamonds can be discerned by the layperson’s eye. If the cut is poor, clear a “bow-tie” shape will be detectable when held under the light.

Famous Examples

Because of their growing popularity, these uniquely cut diamonds are finding their way into settings worn by the rich and famous. Tom Cruise presented an ring to Katie Holmes on the occasion of their wedding which contained an oval-cut diamond; oval diamonds are also found in rings worn by actress Rebecca Romijn and professional soccer player Victoria Beckham.

Jonathon Blocker specializes in diamond jewelry and oval diamonds. He is a consultant for GemFind.com, a trusted name in the jewelry industry since 1999.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/jewelry-articles/the-growing-popularity-of-oval-diamonds-334579.html

Oval Diamonds – Why, When and Where

Compared to the antique cushion cut, the oval diamond has a very short history. It was cut for the first time (in recorded terms) in the late 1950s by a jeweler called Lazare Kaplan. The reason for this cut was simple – people were getting bored of the standard round brilliant cut diamonds, and wanted something new. So Kaplan did something which was very obvious – he slightly modified the diamond shape and made it elliptical. You might think this as silly, but actually, it made lots of customers shift from the well established round cut.

Over the years, the cut has undergone some amazing changes, and today is a much more brilliant cut than what Kaplan had actually conceptualized for the first time. Today’s jewelers have achieved such a level of sophistication that we can safely say that an oval diamond is the right choice for someone who loves the sparkle of a round brilliant, but wants a shape that is not as usual.

If you have read about the process through which diamond cuts are chosen, you will know that the most basic premise of the diamond being chosen for a particular cut is the shape in which it is originally found. Some diamonds are found in huge chunks, and by the time the stone is cut down to the actual diamond part, it comes into a very funny shape. Rounds and emeralds are the most demanding, and they need stones of the perfect shape to achieve the look they do. The rest of the diamonds can be cut into pear, marquise, cushion, or the oval cut. Hence, there is no hard and fast rule about the size and shape of an oval diamond. It can be fat, thin, elongated, stocky, flat at the edges, sharp at the edges, and so on. Depending on the occasion and the ring that you have in mind, you can search for the right kind of a stone.

Pointers in choosing the perfect oval diamond
As we mentioned above, there are several shapes and sizes in oval diamonds, and all of them are brilliant. For a layman to understand the best kind of an oval diamond, look for a length : width ratio of about 1.35 to 1.65. This ratio is a basic guideline to see that you have a well cut oval stone in your hands, and one that is termed as ‘oval’ by the jewelry community. However, as they say – you don’t choose the diamond, it chooses you – and if you see a beautiful brilliant oval beckoning you from the showcase, don’t worry about the ratios and whether it falls into scale; just pick it up, and you won’t regret that decision ever!

Look out for the Bow-Tie effect, which means a dark area in the center of the oval diamond. The bow-tie means that the diamond is of a slightly lower grade, and you will find those diamonds at much more economical prices. You will find this especially in oval diamonds that are stocky around the middle. This effect is also found in pear shaped diamonds. And remember, the effect is in built into the diamond and cannot be removed by the person who cuts it. So, choose a stone that comes without this feature (or you can pick up an oval diamond with a slight bow tie at a superb price!).

Choose a setting that comes with six prongs. Depending on the size of the oval diamond you pick up, you might even need an eight prong setting.

Due to the brilliance of the cut, it goes well with a variety of metals from white gold to platinum to yellow gold. The best thing to do is to use this online ‘Make your ring’ feature of www.diamondsonweb.com, and see which setting and which metal go best with the oval of your choice.
Go away from the ordinary – Go Oval!

Asheley Khan has a degree in Journalism. An expert writer by profession who has written many articles about Diamonds, Wedding Rings and Diamond Jewelry that has been published on blogs, magazines and journals.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/jewelry-articles/oval-diamonds-why-when-where-796889.html

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