Oval Cuts by the Carat

Welcome to The Clear Cut Classroom where we take deep dives into all things diamonds (and jewelry)! We're showing you ovals by the carat. This series will be perfect to help you envision what size you want on your finger 💍😍

Watch the full video below:

Today, we're going to talk about ovals: one of the most popular fancy shapes. Ovals are really popular because they're feminine and finger-flattering. Ovals tend to look bigger than other shapes because they hold their carat weight well. 

When searching for an oval, ratio is an important factor - that is, the length to width proportions. The most popular tends to range anywhere from 1.3 to 1.4. Anything bigger than 1.4 is considered to be elongated and anything smaller than 1:3 is considered to be chubby.

In terms of quality, we usually recommend anywhere from the colorless to the near-colorless range (D to J color grade). Ovals tend to show a bit more color than other cuts, so keep that mind! In terms of clarity, ovals camouflage inclusions well. This means anything from a VS2 and up is a great option - even SI1 and SI2 works well as long as there are no visible inclusions. 

Lastly, you want to look out for the bowtie effect, which is the slight darkness in the center of the stone. Although it's natural in all elongated shapes, you want to avoid very visibly dark bowties. The longer the diamond, the more the bowtie effect will show. 

Thanks for tuning in! Let us know what you want to see next week or ask any questions in the comments below.

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