The Shape Guide: Marquise Cut Diamonds

An ethereal, yet impactful silhouette, the oblong shape of a marquise-cut diamond is flattering yet distinctive. If you're looking for maximum sparkle with a slender, lengthening effect on the finger too, the exquisite marquise diamond cut engagement ring is "the one" for you.

What Is a Marquise Diamond?

A marquise diamond is a tapered oval shape with pointed ends. This romantic, elongated shape dates back to the 18th century when King Louis XV of France commissioned a jeweler to design a shape that resembled the lips of his mistress - the Madame de Pompadour. Over time, this beautiful, antique diamond cut has developed into the flattering yet distinctive "football" shape we know today.

The marquise is known also as the eye-shaped cut or navette - French for ‘little boat’, the name marquise is aristocratic, referring to a rank above a Count, but below a Duke. French courtiers would wear a marquise diamond on their lapels as a symbol of their nobility.

Are Marquise Diamonds Popular?

With its vintage vibes and regal style, the marquise diamond shape is loved and adored even today, and A-listers Catherine Zeta-Jones and Victoria Beckham can attest to that. And, modern marquise diamond engagement ring settings are given a fresh aesthetic with sleek minimal designs, east-west or north-south settings, as three-stone settings with smaller marquise diamonds, or paired with complementary curved wedding bands.

Here are some of our favorite marquise-cut engagement rings below. Which one is your favorite?

Simply Tacori
A sleek high-polished ring, this is marquise minimalism at its finest. Striking in its simplicity, it features a solitaire marquise diamond, with inner ornate detailing in its Cathedral setting, and hidden diamond details along the inner face.

Simply Tacori
2650MQ12X6
$2,690.00 USD IN 18KT WHITE GOLD
Not including center diamond

Inflori
Never basic, always extra - a round-center diamond is bloomed, creating the silhouette and appearance of a marquise-shaped diamond engagement ring. Diamond-directional from the top with exceptional diamond coverage via the bloom and along the shoulders of the ring, it's equally as eye-catching from the side profile too. Ornate basket-woven style metalwork and diamond-adorned crescents infused with windows of light creates extra sparkle-play.

Inflori
STYLE HT2576RDMQ6W
$5,590.00 USD IN 18KT WHITE GOLD
Not including center diamond

Petite Crescent
Taking a minimalist silhouette and making it more diamond-forward, this six-prong, solitaire ring is pure elegance. It features a diamond-intense band studded with pavé diamonds, framed by smaller diamonds underneath with its Classic Crescent detailing.

Petite Crescent
HT2546MQ10X5W
$5,290.00 USD IN PLATINUM
Not including center diamond

Simply Tacori East-West
Modern and unexpected, the marquise-cut center is flipped in a horizontal orientation along the axis of your engagement ring. Accentuated by a diamond tipped frame that spotlights the elongated elegance of the center stone.

Simply Tacori
STYLE 2654MQ10X5W
$3,490.00 USD IN 18KT WHITE GOLD
Not including center diamond

Classic Crescent RoyalT
A true showstopper and all-out celebration of the marquise shape, this intricate and statement engagement ring design is in a class of its own. Diamond intense and then some, it shows off the marquise-cut center by framing it with a vibrant bloom, while from the side, ornate, draped, diamond-adorned metalwork creates a mesmerizing light play for exquisite effects.

Classic Crescent RoyalT
STYLE HT2612MQ16X8
$14,990.00 USD IN PLATINUM
Not including center diamond

Simply Tacori
The perfect balance between diamond-intense and high-polish metal, this solitaire marquise-cut ring is contemporary and minimalistic with delicate diamond detailing on the shoulders for a little extra luminosity. From the side profile it features diamond crescents and ornate beaded metalwork just under the center stone.