JEWELRY EDUCATION > GLOSSARY > Marquise
Marquise
According to legend, the Marquise or navette-cut diamond was commissioned by Louis XV to resemble the mouth of his mistress, Madame de Pompadour. A fun story, but regardless of its origin the marquise cut diamond is an elegant shape that tapers on both ends, elongating the finger. The shape also maximizes carat weight providing for a larger looking diamond when compared with similar carat weights in other cuts. There are no exact methods or measurements standard for a marquise cut diamond, meaning each one will have the same general shape but will vary in exact dimensions.
