Our gemologists answer the following popular questions about oval diamonds:
- What is an oval cut diamond?
- The history of oval diamonds
- Where to buy oval diamonds?
- Which celebrities have oval cut diamond rings?
- What to look for when buying an oval cut diamond?
- Where and how to sell an oval cut diamond?
What Is An Oval Diamond?
Oval cut diamonds are a fancy shape, resembling an elongated round cut. While round diamonds are known to have the most brilliance and sparkle among all diamond shapes, oval diamonds do not optimize light quite as effectively although they do still have fantastic sparkle.
Do Oval Diamonds Look Bigger?
Oval diamonds look bigger in size thanks to their larger surface area and elongated shape. All of which gives the look of a larger diamond for a lower price.
The History Of The Oval Diamond
The modern oval cut diamond was created in 1957 by a Russian-born American diamond cutter named Lazare Kaplan. Diamond cutting ran in the family as his cousin Marcel Tolkowsky was credited for establishing the best possible proportions of a modern round brilliant cut diamond.
Oval diamonds typically have 58 facets, which allows the stone to give off outstanding brilliance and fire. The rise in demand for the oval diamond began in the late 1990’s, popularized by celebrities looking for a traditional and elegant stone but something more original than a round.
Where To Buy Oval Diamonds?
The most affordable and sustainable way to buy oval diamonds is to shop pre-owned. At myGemma, you can shop a wide selection of diamonds, diamond jewelry and oval diamond engagement rings.
Important Things To Know About Oval Diamonds
- Modern oval cut diamonds have good sparkle: Modern oval cut diamonds are cut in the brilliant faceting style, this allows the stone to best reflect light.
- GIA does not provide a cut grade for oval cut diamonds: Oval cut diamonds are considered fancy cuts and while the GIA provides grading reports for fancy cuts, this does not include a cut grade.
- Bow tie effect: A dark, bow shaped pattern in the stone; bow ties are very common in oval diamonds. Less pronounced in well-cut oval diamonds, they are nonetheless still visible.
- They are less expensive than round diamonds: Despite some similarities with a round cut diamond, oval-shaped stones remain affordable as they are not in as high demand.
- They appear larger: A round and an oval cut diamond may be the same carat weight, but an oval diamond will still look bigger thanks to its larger surface area.
Celebrities With Oval Diamond Rings
- Blake Lively – Ryan Reynolds proposed to Blake Lively with a rose gold, 12ct light pink oval cut diamond ring in 2012. Made by jeweler to the stars, Lorraine Schwartz, this stunning and unique engagement ring is set in a micro pave band for maximum sparkle.
- Katie Holmes – While Katie Holmes did not have a lasting marriage to Tom Cruise, their 5ct oval cut engagement ring certainly left an impression. An Edwardian oval cut, the main stone is set in halo, with a rose gold split shank pave band.
- Jennifer Aniston – A unique take on the oval cut is Jennifer Aniston’s 8ct antique rose cut oval engagement ring.
- Miranda Kerr – Orlando Bloom once proposed to Miranda Kerr with a floral shaped engagement ring. A 4ct oval cut embellished by multiple round cut diamonds, Miranda now wears a more traditional round diamond since her more recent engagement.
What To Look For When Buying An Oval Diamond?
When purchasing an oval cut diamond or oval diamond engagement ring, there are a few factors to keep top of mind:
- Length to Width Ratio: This refers to how wide or slim the oval looks. While it ultimately comes down to personal preference, a ratio of 1.30 - 1.50 is widely considered the most favorable.
- Color Grade: GIA diamond color grades range from D to Z, with D being colorless and the most desirable and Z being tinted yellow/brown and the least desirable. The closer to a D color, the more expensive the diamond will be. While to the naked eye, the difference in color between 2-3 color grades may not be noticeable, it will still have an impact on price.
- Clarity Grade: Thanks to its shape, imperfections in oval cut diamonds are relatively concealed, especially in smaller ovals. So opting for a lower clarity grade can be a good compromise as any inclusions may not be as noticeable to the naked eye. This will allow you to buy a diamond with a higher carat weight or of a higher color grade. As always though, it is a question of personal preference.
- Carat Weight: Abbreviated to ct, this refers to the weight of a diamond measured in carats. This impacts the price and size of your diamond.
How To Sell Oval Diamonds?
Looking to sell your oval cut diamond online for the best price? You may be wondering how much your diamond is worth, the best place to sell an oval diamond and how to sell safely.
myGemma is an A+ rated BBB diamond buyer that offers a free, safe and quick service. We pride ourselves on offering a fast service whereby you can get your cash in as little as 24 hours from filling out our online form. As diamond experts and one of the leading online diamond buyers, we work with hundreds of satisfied customers every day, read our customer reviews here.
Follow our 4 simple steps to sell your diamond:
- Fill out our online form
- One of our GIA trained gemologists will be in touch shortly with your price quote
- myGemma provides free shipping and insurance to send your diamond in
- Receive a final price and get paid by check or wire. If you refuse our offer, we return it at no cost to you, no questions asked.
Should you be more comfortable scheduling an appointment at one of our office locations in the US, Hong Kong, Japan or in the UK. We have appointments with our gemologists available Monday-Friday.
