One of the most exciting parts of working in the bridal industry is how quickly everything can change. Every year, especially following big bash weeks like New York Bridal Fashion Week, we get a glimpse of all the glorious, shiny, beautiful things about to hit the market. Without a doubt, these fashion shows, showcases, and markets are the best way to get a sense of up and coming trends in the industry. 

And boy, it seems we are headed for a pretty dynamic year.

For so long, people opted most often for round, square, or princess cut diamonds or other stones for their engagement rings. This makes sense: they're beautiful, sophisticated, classic cuts.

But the market overwhelmingly is beginning a shift away from these classic cuts and toward trendy, modern, eye catching new shapes.

The crown jewel of this trend? The Marquise.

These are our favourite marquise cut engagement ring trends for 2020. 

Meet our Maisie Ring! Art deco, marquise inspiration all the way.

What is a marquise cut stone?

A marquise cut stone is one often associated with royalty. They are quite regal and sophisticated in shape, and for marquise cut diamonds, feature 58 facets and an elliptical shape with pointed ends. All of those facets mean this cut is guaranteed to shine. 

This cut is generally slightly less expensive than round cut diamonds, and because it is has a longer shape, it often creates the illusion of a bigger stone. The more severe shape of the stone also makes for a dynamic pair with an unexpected wedding band, and is perfect for someone with a minimal, modern style.

Featuring our Cypres and our Joss Rings.

What's the story behind this cut?

The lore around the marquise cut is a romantic one. Apparently, the shape is named for the "Marquise of Pompadour, for whom King Louis XIV of France allegedly had a stone fashioned to resemble what he considered her perfectly shaped mouth," writes Lumera Diamonds. Adorable. This is such a sweet part of this stone's atmosphere, especially if your partner is a sucker for romantic histories like this. 

Featuring our Eva Ring.

What kinds of marquise stones are out there?

Like all cuts, there is a wide variety of available marquise cut stones. Different sizes, colours, clarities, levels of bow-tie, and budgets. Our Aniston Ring, for example, features a beautiful, dreamy opal. The Daisy and Maisie rings both feature tiny marquise cut diamonds around an oval centre stone. The Eva Ring, pictured here, uses marquise to complement an ethereal centre stone. There are heaps of variations out there—meaning there is a marquise cut stone out there for absolutely everyone.

Featuring our Daisy Ring.

What should I look for?

Like most cuts, you'll need to evaluate the stone based on its own specific characteristics. But when purchasing elongated cuts of a diamond, especially, you'll need to be aware of the "bow-tie" effect. Bow-tie is the area of an elongated diamond, near the centre, that might appear darker than the rest. This area will stretch across the middle of the diamond in the shape of a bow tie. 

This is created when facets don't align properly, which allows light to escape from the diamond rather than returning it to your eyes. There will always be a degree of bow tie in marquise diamonds, but it should never be the first thing you see when looking at a stone. If it steals the spotlight, move on.

Also keep in mind that the arrangement of your marquise or the size of the stone will impact which wedding bands you can reasonably pair the ring with. But this is an exciting opportunity to opt for a non-conventional wedding band!

If you have any other questions about marquise stones, leave a comment below or get in touch with us! We'd love to show you the gorgeous new stones we have in our studio, and walk you through the specifics of picking the perfect marquise for your ring.

xo, Evorden