The Marquise Cut

At first it was solely diamonds that were cut in the Marquise fashion but later on the trend spread to other precious stones such as sapphires, rubies and emeralds. One of the reasons for why it became so popular - and still is - could be that the oval shape makes a woman's finger look long and slender. But it is a challenge for jewellers to make. The most common issue with the shape is the danger of creating "the bow-tie". I know it does not sound terrifying but "the bow-tie" is the unwanted effect of reduced colour around the middle.

Apparently, Louis XV ordered his court jeweller to create a jewel that resembled the mouth of Madame de Pompadour! This shape would come to be known as "the Marquise" (or the Navette) which first appeared in Paris in 1745. A Marquise cut diamond should ideally have 56 facets although it varied from stone to stone.

Madame de Pompadour