Marquise Engagement Rings · Bedfordview, Johannesburg
Marquise engagement rings, cut and set in South Africa.
A marquise is a brilliant drawn into an elongated outline with two pointed ends, the navette or little-boat shape. It carries the largest face-up area per carat of the classic cuts, so it reads biggest for its weight and lengthens the finger more than any other shape. Every Prodiam marquise ring is made to order in our Bedfordview workshop, with the centre stone cut at Procut DCW and finished to keep the bowtie faint, then set with V-tip claws to protect the points. Natural, GIA-certified diamonds, priced on application, with insured delivery anywhere in South Africa.
Brief us on a marquise ring See loose diamonds → Custom engagement rings →
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Natural diamonds only
Mined-Earth, never lab-grown, by conviction, not price. Kimberley-Process documented from the mine of origin. Why we don’t sell lab-grown →
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GIA & EGL certified
Every loose stone certified by the GIA or EGL. Cert PDF supplied per stone.
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Insured overnight delivery
Brink’s, G4S or our nominated jewellery courier across South Africa. Ferrari Group / FedEx Custom Critical international.
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14-day in-person exchange
In-person sales at the viewing room come with a 14-day exchange courtesy on stock pieces. Distance-sale CPA cooling-off applies.
Why a marquise reads largest of all for its carat weight
A marquise is a modified brilliant, the same family of light-returning facets as a round, drawn out into a long outline that tapers to a point at each end. Of all the classic shapes it carries the largest face-up area per carat, so for a given weight it simply looks bigger than a round, an oval or a princess. Its long axis also draws the eye the full length of the finger, which lengthens and slims the hand more than any other cut. For a buyer who wants maximum apparent size and the most finger-lengthening effect per rand, the marquise is the most efficient shape there is.
The bowtie, and how a good cut beats it
Like every elongated brilliant, a marquise carries some bowtie, a darker band across the centre where the facets shadow the eye rather than returning light. It is not a flaw in the rough; it is a consequence of how the stone is cut, so the amount varies entirely with the cutter’s skill. A well-cut marquise keeps the bowtie faint and the stone bright from point to point; a poorly cut one shows a heavy dark band that no setting can hide. Because we cut our own stones at Procut DCW, we select and finish each marquise to keep the bowtie minimal, and we always show you the stone face-up under daylight so you judge it with your own eyes.
Protected points and even wings: why symmetry is everything
The two pointed ends are the most vulnerable part of a marquise, the first place the stone will chip if a point is left exposed, so each one is held in a V-tip claw shaped to wrap and cradle the tip. Symmetry is just as critical: the two points must line up along the long axis and the wings, the curved sides that swell out from each point, must be even, or the stone reads lopsided on the hand. These are cutting and setting decisions, exactly the part a working cutting house controls, and we check the points and the symmetry under loupe and microscope before the ring leaves the bench.
Settings for a marquise, solitaire to three-stone
- Solitaire, the marquise alone with V-tip claws on the points, worn north-south down the finger or east-west across it to taste. The clearest way to show the stone’s length.
- Halo, a pavé frame that follows the navette outline and exaggerates the marquise’s size and sparkle, matched to the centre on our bench.
- Three-stone, the marquise flanked by tapered side stones that echo and extend its line down the finger.
- Pavé shoulders, small diamonds set along the band to carry light down the finger, in any of the above.
A marquise benefits from a setting that keeps the long axis secure and the points well protected. We will talk you through the trade-offs against how the ring will be worn.
Choosing a marquise: ratio, colour and clarity
| Choice | What we make to order |
|---|---|
| Length-to-width | ~1.85 (fuller) to ~2.10 (longer, more slender) |
| Carat | From around 0.50 ct to 5 ct and above, to your budget and hand |
| Colour | D–F colourless, or G–I near-colourless; marquises can carry colour at the points, so we check face-up |
| Clarity | An eye-clean VS–SI1, chosen so inclusions do not show at the table |
| Metal | 18k white, yellow or rose gold, or platinum |
| Certification | GIA / EGL certified; report supplied with the stone |
Pricing is on application, the stone drives the figure, and you receive a firm ZAR quote, excl. VAT, before any work begins.
How a marquise ring is made to order
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Brief
Ratio, carat, colour and clarity range, setting style, metal, budget and deadline. We respond within 24 hours.
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Choose the stone
We present GIA-certified marquises at different ratios, face-up on the daylight tray or by video, each with its report.
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Build & cast
The setting is built and cast in your chosen metal, with any halo or three-stone work matched at the bench.
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Set & finish
The marquise is set with V-tip claws on the points, the ring hand-polished, and checked under loupe and microscope.
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Hand-over
Presentation at Bedfordview by appointment, or insured overnight courier nationwide. Certification and a written valuation included.
Comparing shapes? See the round brilliant, oval, pear, princess, emerald and radiant cuts, or start from the loose diamonds and GIA certified diamonds on the bench. When you are ready, brief us and Darren will come back within 24 hours.
Marquise engagement rings: common questions
Do marquise diamonds look bigger than other shapes of the same carat?
Generally, yes, and more so than almost any other shape. The marquise has the largest face-up area per carat of the classic cuts, so for a given weight it presents more visible stone than a round, an oval or a princess. Its long, two-pointed outline also draws the eye the full length of the finger, which lengthens and slims the hand the most of any shape. For a buyer who wants the most apparent size and the most finger-lengthening effect per rand, the marquise is hard to beat.
What is the bowtie effect in a marquise diamond?
The bowtie is a dark band that can appear across the centre of a marquise (and other elongated brilliants), where the facets shadow the eye instead of returning light. Every marquise has some bowtie; the question is how much. It is a function of cutting, not an inherent flaw, so a well-cut marquise keeps it faint while a poorly cut one shows a heavy dark band. Because we cut our own stones, we select and finish each marquise to keep the bowtie minimal, and we show you the stone face-up so you can judge it yourself.
Are marquise diamonds GIA certified and graded for cut?
Our marquise diamonds are GIA or EGL certified and the report grades carat, colour and clarity in full. GIA does not, however, assign an overall cut grade to fancy shapes such as the marquise, it grades only polish and symmetry, so for a marquise the cutter’s skill, not a printed cut grade, is what governs brilliance, how even the wings are and how faint the bowtie is. That is exactly the part a working cutting house controls.
How are the pointed ends of a marquise protected from chipping?
The two pointed ends are the most vulnerable part of any marquise, so we protect each one with a V-tip claw, a claw shaped to wrap and cradle the point rather than leave it exposed. Symmetry matters here too: the two points must align along the long axis and the wings be even, or the stone reads lopsided. We set every marquise with protected ends and check the points and the symmetry under loupe and microscope before the ring leaves the bench.
What length-to-width ratio is best for a marquise engagement ring?
It is a matter of taste, but most clients prefer a length-to-width ratio between about 1.85 and 2.10. Nearer 1.85 looks a touch fuller and broader; nearer 2.10 looks longer and more slender. The report lists the measurements so you can work the ratio out, and we will show you stones at different ratios so you can see the difference on the hand before you choose.
Can you make a marquise engagement ring if I am not in Johannesburg?
Yes, clients commission marquise rings from Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Gqeberha and across South Africa. The stone and design conversation happens by video and WhatsApp, you approve the diamond and the setting, and the finished ring is delivered insured and overnight nationwide via Brink’s or G4S, with its certification and a written insurance valuation.