

The Pear-Shape Diamond: A Hint Of Attitude

A Pear-Shaped Diamond Is Striking But Feminine

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You’re a modern woman, and you need a modern engagement ring to match. Nothing declares your I-know-what-I-want attitude like a pear-shaped diamond ring. If a striking, yet feminine, appearance appeals to you, a pear-shape diamond may be just the stone that should be perched atop your well-manicured ring finger.

What Is a Pear-Shape Diamond?
Often called a teardrop diamond, the pear-shape diamond combines, at one end, the brilliance and facet similarities of an oval-cut diamond, and, at the other end, the strong shape of a marquise diamond. In essence, one end is rounded and the other is pointed. Since it is oval on one end, it combines a modified brilliant-cut, which maximizes light-reflective qualities, then progresses toward the sharper facets of the marquise, which has the pointed end.

Usually the pear-shape diamond is cut with 58 facets, but it can have as many as 72. If the diamond-cutting process is substandard, an area in the center of the stone can seem darker; this is a defect known as the “bowtie effect” and can be fixed through adjusting facets.

Since pear shapes can vary widely, with degrees of wideness and roundness at the round end, or degrees of skinniness and “longness” at the other end, it’s important to know what factors determine the optimum pear shape.

If the “shoulders” of the pear shape seem high, the value is considered less, because it will look more like a triangle shape than rounded. Additionally, the very bottom facet should be directly centered below the point. The angles on the round end should be close to 41 degrees to create the most brilliance and smooth shape.
What Settings Are Suited for a Pear-Shape Diamond?
In any type of setting, the pear-shape diamond should have at least five prongs around the gem, with four around the curved area, and one protecting point of the pear.

One especially stunning pear-shape diamond setting features a larger pear shape as the main center stone pointing downward, and two smaller pear-shaped stones set horizontally on both sides, with the points facing outward. The result seems similar to a butterfly, with the side stones sparkling to create a “fluttering” effect.

Another way to incorporate pear-shape diamonds is to use them to completely frame a large center stone, such as an oval or round diamond. With each of the pear points pointing outward, the setting simulates the look of a flower.

If you like the contrast of yellow gold against a white diamond, you can use a pear-shape diamond as the center stone, and line the band with princess (square shaped) or emerald (rectangular shaped) cuts in a channel setting, where the straight edges are set directly against each other in a row. The curves of the pear shape contrast with the straight lines of the stones in the band for a striking look.

If you’re designing your own setting, keep in mind that, since the pear diamond is not symmetrical horizontally and has an unbalanced look, it’s not usually set with other ornately shaped stones, such as hearts or a marquise diamond.
The unique pear shape makes it ideal for an engagement ring, but the stone is also well-suited for drop earrings and pendant necklaces as well.

Who Should Wear Pear-Shaped Diamonds?
If your fingers are somewhat short or plump, the pear shape diamond can make your fingers appear slimmer.

According to diamond e-tailer, each diamond cut says something about its wearer. Those who wear the pear-shape, the site says, are adventurous and have an edge. The shape is daring and bold as is the diamond-wearer’s personality.

Famous Pear-Shape Diamonds
One of the most well-known pear-shape diamonds is the Victoria Transvaal, which gets in name from where it was mined -- the Tranvaal area of South Africa in 1951. It was purchased by a timber baron named Leonard Wilkinson, who gave it to his wife Victoria; thus its name today.

The pear-shape diamond weighs 67.89 carats and is a champagne color. It’s believed that the rough diamond from which it was cut weighed an astonishing 240 carats. It was first cut into a 75-carat pear shape and then re-cut into the 67.89-carat size to improve its brilliance.

Victoria Wilkinson had it set as a pendant into a gold necklace with an additional 66 round brilliant diamonds, where it is still set. In 1977, the Wilkinsons presented it to the Smithsonian Institution. The diamond also appeared in a 1952 “Tarzan” episode: the actress who played Jane, Dorothy Hart, wears the diamond in a scene.
Another world-class diamond is The Mouawad Mondera, a 60.19-carat internally flawless stone. The Mouawad Mondera is part of a collection of precious gems owned by Robert Mouawad. This diamond gained even more notoriety when it was set at the center of a bra and modeled by Karolina Kurkova. This unique piece of lingerie, named the “Star of Victoria” as part of the Victoria’s Secret Fantasy Bras collection, designed by Mouawad in 2002-2003, featured emeralds and rubies in a green-and-pink floral pattern and weighed a total of 320 carats. Mouawad reportedly purchased the diamond from Christie’s for more than $5.3 million.

Mouawad’s collection of world-class gems includes other famous pear-shaped diamonds, including the 137.02-carat Premier rose, 101.84-carat Mouawad Splendor, 78.86-carat Ahmedabad, the 69.68-carat Excelsior I, the 69-plus-carat Taylor-Burton, the 59-carat Star of Abdul Aziz, the 46.95-carat Indore Pears I, and the 46.7-carat Indore Pears II.

What Celebrities Flashed Pear-Shape Diamond Rings?
Elizabeth Taylor is very well known for the 69.42-carat pear-shaped diamond purchased for her by the most famous of her numerous ex-husbands, Richard Burton. After he bought it from Cartier, he renamed it the Taylor-Burton diamond.

Apparently, she later sold the diamond for $3 million and used the proceeds to build a hospital in Botswana, Africa. Today this spectacularly famous diamond is part of the aforementioned collection of Mouawad’s precious gems.

A more recent celebrity also sported a pear-shape diamond on her engagement ring: Jessica Simpson.
She received a unique 4-carat pear-shape engagement ring from her now ex-husband Nick Lachey. The large center stone was flanked by two smaller pear shapes, pointing outward. She paired it with a diamond wedding band consisting of small round-cut diamonds to create a truly eye-catching wedding set. Like many celebrity unions, the marriage didn’t endure the test of time, but the beautiful ring’s design is sure to be imitated by many a bride-to-be for years to come.

If you decide that the pear diamond should be sparkling brightly on one of your digits, you’re probably no wallflower. So you might be comfortable dropping a few hints to your special guy that you’d like your ring set with this unique diamond shape.

After all, a woman who knows what she wants usually gets what she wants, doesn’t she?

Which Diamond Are You?
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