An oval shaped diamond is the perfect answer for those that love the classic lines of a round diamond, but crave something more unique. Because oval diamonds are a modified-brilliant cut, they have all the fire and brilliance of a round brilliant shape. They differ by offering the illusion of greater size and an elongated shape that can make the finger of the wearer appear slimmer. What’s not to love?

One note of caution is that most oval cut diamonds posses some degree of bow-tie - an effect that appears like a dark area running right to left across the center of the diamond in the approximate shape of a man's bow tie. This effect, varying from near invisible to severe, is caused by misaligned facets leaking light that should ideally be reflected back towards the viewer.

Unfortunately, the visibility of a bow-tie effect is not included in the diamond certificate, so it is very important to have your diamond carefully inspected, in person, by a diamond expert.

Here are our cut, color and clarity recommendations for maximum beauty, brilliance and value in an oval diamond:

*Disclaimer: We are in no way guaranteeing that you will receive the best diamond possible if you blindly purchase a stone with these attributes. We are simply suggesting that, in our experience, we believe that narrowing down your selection of diamonds to only those that fall within these ranges of attributes, will give you the best chance of maximizing your diamonds beauty, brilliance and value. And we highly recommend having your diamond evaluated, in person, by an educated and experienced diamond expert before making your final purchase. Please contact one of our diamond experts, who will select and review diamonds on your behalf. Chat with us on our site, email us at info@mintdiamonds.com or call us at 1-877-646-8669