Pear Cut Diamond

The first pear cut diamond was created in the year 1458 by a Flemish cutter/polisher Lodewyk van Berquem of Brugge.   The pear is a fascinating shape, often referred to as one of the “fancy shapes” along with Marquise, Heart, Oval, and others. 

The actual cut of the pear shape diamond can vary considerably, often the cut will take account of maximising the proportions available within the limits set by the rough diamond from which it is cut.  The more popular ratio of length to width (the aspect ratio)is around 1.5 to 1, giving the cut a full but clear pear shape profile.

To give the pear its “sparkle”, that all important factor for all diamonds, it will normally have 58 facets.  Each of the facets effectively acts as a mirror helping to reflect light internally within the diamond and back toward the eye.  The actual cut proportions are key to any diamond’s overall sparkle, the angle of each facet and its size work together to create the ideal cut pear diamond.

Sometimes, at certain angles, when looking at the pear diamond (and other fancy shapes) a darker shadow maybe seen within, this is quite normal and is referred to as the “bowtie effect”.

Famous people who have purchased a pear shape diamond include Halle Berry (30 ct pear pendant) and Jessica Simpson (4 ct pear engagement ring)