Oval cut
An elliptical brilliant cut, long and soft in outline, given its modern form in the late 1950s.
Oval stones appear in antique jewels, usually cut by eye, but the modern oval brilliant, with facets arranged like a round brilliant, dates from the late 1950s. The shape makes a stone look larger than a round of the same weight and lengthens the finger.
What to look for
Most ovals show a darker band across the centre, the “bow-tie”. A faint one is normal; a strong one dulls the stone. Look for a balanced outline, neither too narrow nor too round.
In the collection
Oval cut, available now
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