If you have ever shopped for diamonds, you’ve probably seen that there are many different common shapes into which diamonds are cut. Pear diamonds are one of these.

Each shape brings with it certain issues that can have a positive or negative effect on the appearance and thus the value of the diamond, and pear diamonds are no different in this sense. If you are thinking about buying a pear diamond, there are certain things you’ll need to be aware of in order to ensure that you’re getting a good value.

What are pear diamonds?

The pear diamond, sometimes known as the teardrop diamond, is technically considered a variation on the standard round brilliant cut. It’s also related to the marquise cut, another roughly teardrop-shaped cut which was one of the earliest types of diamond cuts but is no longer in common use. The pear cut is rounded at one end, and has an uncropped point at the other.

Like some of the other shaped diamonds, pear come in a particular range of length to width ratios. At one end of the spectrum, you have pear with a length-width of 1.5, which have a short, fat appearance, while the other extreme comes in at roughly 2.0, which is a narrow, longer shape. The typical pear shape is found between the length-width ratios of 1.45 and 1.75.

Pears have relatively small, fine facets, which means that any clarity issues within the diamond are hidden to a certain extent. Pears can exhibit nearly the same degree of sparkle and brilliance as round diamonds.

What makes pear diamonds special?

There are certain very special features that you can find in pear. For one thing, these diamonds are among the only ones still in circulation that have a single pointed end. Cropped ends and corners are more common nowadays because pointed ends can be easier to damage and more difficult to cut effectively without creating surface imperfections. However, a well cut pear, as long as it is set in such a way as to protect the point from damage, can have an elegance and beauty not found in other diamond shapes.

The range in length-width ratios found among pear diamonds can also be a plus from the buyer’s point of view. Longer shapes, meaning those with a ratio above 1.75, can have a slimming effect on the appearance of the finger.

What should I look for in pear diamonds?

Pears are, for the most part, subject to the same considerations as round brilliant diamonds. This means that you can generally find the best value with the following parameters: a cut grade of “Good;” a color grade of around G; a clarity grade of SI1 or SI2; and a carat weight of around 1.

In addition to this, there is a consideration that’s mostly very special to pears. Some pear can exhibit what’s commonly known as the “bowtie effect.” This is when dark spots, which look like a bowtie or two symmetrical triangles, appear in the upper portion of the diamond. This defect is easily visible to the naked eye, but it doesn’t always appear on the diamond’s certificate. So, make sure to take a good look at the diamond from many different angles before making a buy.