Oval Diamond

The oval brilliant was developed by Lazare Kaplan in the 1960s as a modified brilliant cut that retains the fire and scintillation of a round while offering a more distinctive look. The elongated shape flatters the finger by creating a lengthening effect, which is one of the primary reasons it has become so popular for engagement rings. One of the key considerations with ovals is the bow-tie effect—a dark shadow that appears across the center of the stone when viewed face-up. Nearly all ovals exhibit some degree of bow-tie, but in well-cut stones it is minimal and adds depth to the stone's appearance. A pronounced bow-tie, however, indicates poor light return in the center and should be avoided. Because labs do not provide cut grades for ovals, evaluating bow-tie severity requires visual inspection or high-quality imagery. From a value perspective, ovals typically cost 15-25% less than equivalent round brilliants because they retain more rough crystal weight during cutting. Their elongated shape also means they face up larger than rounds of the same carat weight—a 1-carat oval appears roughly 10% larger than a 1-carat round when viewed from above. This combination of lower price and larger appearance makes ovals an excellent value proposition for budget-conscious buyers who don't want to sacrifice visual impact.