Lab Grown Diamonds
Pear or Marquise: One Point or Two
Both elongate the finger and both have a bow-tie. The difference is symmetry β and how much of it you have to police.
Written by the Mapple Gems workshop, Surat Β· Updated 7 October 2026
Short answer
A marquise has two points and is symmetrical in both directions, so any cutting error shows twice and doubles visually. A pear has one point and a rounded end, so it is symmetrical on one axis only β more forgiving to cut and easier to judge. The marquise faces up longest per carat (about 10 Γ 5Β mm at one carat against a pearβs 8 Γ 5.5). Both need V-prongs on every point and both usually need a contour band.
These two are shortlisted together by anyone who wants length on the finger and does not want an oval. The choice comes down to two things: how much stone you want and how much symmetry you are willing to inspect.
A marquise has to be symmetrical about BOTH axes and a pear only about one β which means every cutting error on a marquise appears twice, and the eye catches doubled errors far more easily than single ones. On a marquise, the two points must align on the same centre line, the two curved sides must mirror each other, and the widest part must sit exactly halfway. Miss any of those and the stone reads as bent, lopsided or off-centre β and because the fault is repeated at both ends, it is unmistakable. A pear only has to be symmetrical left to right: the point aligned with the centre of the rounded end, and the shoulders matching. That is one constraint instead of three, and it is why well-cut marquises are genuinely harder to find at any price. Neither shape receives a cut grade β no laboratory grades cut on any fancy shape β so this inspection is entirely yours. The test costs nothing: view it face-up on a plain background, straight on, and fold it mentally down the long axis, then across. A pear passes the first fold only; a marquise has to pass both.
Side by side
| Pear | Marquise | |
|---|---|---|
| At 1 ct | ~8.0 Γ 5.5 mm | ~10.0 Γ 5.0 mm |
| Points to protect | One | Two |
| Symmetry axes | One | Two |
| Typical ratio | 1.45 β 1.60 | 1.85 β 2.10 |
| Reads as | Soft, directional | Sharp, dramatic |
| Wedding band | Contour, usually | Contour, almost always |
The ratio is never printed on a report; divide length by width on the measurements line. It matters more here than on most shapes β a marquise at 1.75 reads stubby, and one at 2.20 starts to look fragile.
Length versus width, again
The marquise is the longest-facing shape in the trade per carat, which is genuinely its selling point. But the same arithmetic applies here as everywhere: weight is fixed, so length is bought with width.
At one carat a marquise gives you ten millimetres of length and five of width; a pear gives eight and five and a half. So the marquise looks longer and the pear looks fuller β and because the eye reads apparent size across the finger more than along it, the pear can read as the larger stone despite being shorter.
If the aim is to lengthen the finger, the marquise wins. If the aim is presence, the pear does. It is worth being clear which you actually want before comparing prices.
The bow-tie, on both
Both shapes have one, because both stretch pavilion facets to fill an elongated outline β and those facets sit shallow across the waist and reflect whatever is above the stone, which is your own head and shoulders.
That mechanism explains the whole diagnostic. A lightbox hides it on every stone regardless of quality, because light comes from all sides and nothing dark is overhead. Still photographs are chosen from hundreds of frames at the angle where it shows least. Only a handheld video in an ordinary room shows it.
What to look for: a band that breaks up as the stone tilts is normal and present in every elongated stone. One that stays a solid grey mass through rotation means a pavilion cut deep for weight retention. A dark band plus a generally flat, lifeless stone means the opposite β cut shallow and leaking light.
Setting each one
- A V-prong on every point β one on a pear, two on a marquise. The girdle runs thinnest at a point and it is the commonest chip on both shapes.
- Prongs at the shoulders, not on the tips of the curves. On a pear that means the widest part of the rounded end and the two shoulders; on a marquise, the two widest points.
- A half bezel is the wrong instinct on both. It puts metal on the long sides and leaves the points open, which protects the wrong axis. An end cap over the point is the correct half-measure.
- Both load a shank unevenly, so keep it at 1.8β2Β mm at the base. Elongated heads take rings out of round faster than round ones.
- Both show rotation. An asymmetric outline makes even slight spinning visible, so ask for a euro shank β flattened underneath, invisible from above, no maintenance.
Which to choose
Pear if you want length with some softness, an easier stone to judge, and only one point to think about. It also suits being worn point-up or point-down, which is a genuine design choice most people do not realise they are making β point-down elongates the finger more.
Marquise if you want maximum length per carat and a sharper, more antique-adjacent look β and you are willing to inspect the symmetry properly and insist on V-prongs at both ends.
On grades, both behave alike: SI1 is usually eye-clean under a carat and the plot is worth opening, since inclusions at the points are covered by prongs that have to be there anyway. In warm metal HβI reads white; in white gold or platinum stay at G or better.
Keep reading
Frequently asked questions
Which is harder to cut well, a pear or a marquise?
A marquise. It must be symmetrical about both axes β points aligned, sides mirrored, widest part exactly halfway β so every error appears twice. A pear needs symmetry on one axis only. Neither gets a cut grade, so the inspection is yours.
Which looks bigger at the same carat?
The marquise is longer β about 10 Γ 5Β mm at one carat against a pearβs 8 Γ 5.5 β but the pear is wider. Since the eye reads apparent size across the finger more than along it, the pear can read as the larger stone despite being shorter.
Do both have a bow-tie?
Yes β both stretch pavilion facets to fill an elongated outline, and those shallow facets reflect your own head and shoulders. A band that breaks up on tilt is normal; one that stays a solid grey mass through rotation means the pavilion was cut deep for weight.
How should the points be protected?
A V-prong on every point β one on a pear, two on a marquise β because the girdle runs thinnest there. A half bezel is the wrong instinct on both: it protects the long sides and leaves the points open. An end cap over the point is the correct half-measure.
Ask for a face-up photograph on a plain background.
On a marquise it settles more than the report does β and it takes ten seconds to fold the image in half.
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