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The pear cut, pear shaped, or teardrop diamond is a timeless, vintage cut that represents an emotional bond or connection. Like a round cut diamond, it is a brilliant cut known for high sparkle. These loose diamonds are shaped like a teardrop and blend the best attributes of round cut and marquise cut diamonds. Diamonds are often described as icy or flowing like water. The pear cut is a perfect representation of that concept. The pear cut diamond is long and can make a finger look thinner and longer. Pear cut diamonds can also be short or long, depending on their length to width ratio, with an optimal ratio of 1.50. Symmetry is a very important characteristic in pear shapes, more so than other fancy shapes, as is the placement of any inclusions. But if your heart's set on getting a diamond that's pear shaped, here's what you need to know so you love your ring year after year.
The unusual shape has caught on and today the pear cut diamond ring has many famous owners including Victoria Beckham and Katherine Heigl, who both received pear shaped diamond engagement rings. (Posh Spice actually has thirteen engagement rings. But of course she does.) Even though the pear diamond doesn't enjoy the yearly sales of the round brilliant, there's plenty to love about this diamond shape. The curves are undeniable romantic and feminine. But the teardrop diamond isn't without its edge either, which it gets from that bold point. The pear is seeing a bit of a comeback lately, though. Married women are having their teardrop diamonds updated with new, more moden settings. But there are plenty of celebrity engagement rings featuring pear diamonds to prove that these stones have had fans all along:
An exquisite, radiant, pear diamond is indeed a beauty to behold with its narrow pointed top and perfectly rounded bottom. This shape combines two of the most popular gemstone cuts, the marquise and the round brilliant cut. The teardrop diamond originated in Belgium by a Polish gemstone polisher named Louis Van Berquem (Lodewyk) in 1458. He created the now-beloved shape by using a diamond polishing wheel he invented which he called a scaif to cut the facets of the diamond. He is also credited with the technique of absolute symmetry in the facet placement on the gemstone to maximize their shine and brilliance. Lodewyk is also believed to be the creator of the stunning 137 carat Florentine Diamond created for one of the most influential families during that time, the Valois Family. The pear cut grew in popularity during the Renaissance period and other techniques grew from there.
Pear cut diamonds, like other fancy shapes, are less expensive when compared to round cut diamonds. Round diamonds have greater rough diamond wastage. Because rough diamonds have odd, long shapes, pear cut diamonds are able to use more of this precious raw material. Pear diamonds do a good job of distribuitng carat weight in the length of the diamond, which allows the diamond to look larger than other shapes such as princess or cushion at the same carat weight. Therefore, a 1 carat pear shaped diamond will be about 8.5 x 5.5 mm versus a 1 carat round cut diamond, which will be about 6.4 mm. A 1 carat teardrop diamond costs around $4568 if it's an Excellent cut, G color diamond that's rated as a VS2 clarity grade.
But though pear diamonds effectively use the rough, it's still harder to find raw material big enough to make larger diamonds. That means you shouldn't expect a 2 carat pear shaped diamond to be simply double the cost of a 1 carat. The price of a 2 carat stone can jump to anywhere between $8000 and $20,000, depending on the quality of the diamond. If you're not sure where to start when shopping for a loose diamond, contact one of our expert gemologists. They help couple maximize their budget to get the best diamond and engagement ring possible, without breaking the bank, every single day.
Pear-shaped diamonds are back in style in a big way. Also known as the teardrop, the pear diamond made a huge splash in 1969 with the famous ring Richard Burton gifted Elizabeth Taylor (although at 68 carats, it was more like a small melon) and it surged in popularity for engagement rings in the 1980s before being supplanted by other styles.
Today, the pear has become trendy again, showing up on some the most-photographed fingers in recent years, counting celebrity fans like Victoria Beckham, Margot Robbie, Sophie Turner and Kaley Cuoco. Ready to bite? Here are the most important things to keep in mind when shopping for your pear-shaped diamond.
The first important step is to set a budget for your engagement ring. Determining how much ring you can afford won't just help you balance the books: It'll help you decide how to prioritize the other three of the four C's of diamonds — color, clarity and carat, since you really shouldn’t compromise on cut — making a wide spectrum of choices more manageable. (Here are more tips on how to buy an engagement ring on a budget.)
Which of the four C's is most important to her? Would she prefer a larger carat size in exchange for slightly lower clarity? Or would she prefer for you to invest in a super-white hue and come down in clarity and size if necessary? We advise going up a color grade when buying a pear-shaped diamond. Because the teardrop shape holds most of its depth in its rounded bottom, it has a tendency to show color in its point at some lower color grades, such as J color diamonds. Read more about how to buy an engagement ring here.
Pears come in three different ratio ranges — 1.30, 1.50 and 1.70 — which dramatically change the look of the stone, namely its length and the fullness of its bottom. A pear shaped diamond with a higher ratio will appear to have a longer outline. But none of them are better or worse than the others, so it all comes down to personal preference. If she likes a longer stone, choose that. If shorter is more her style, go for it!
It is important to choose a well-cut pear shape that doesn't have light leakage, known as the bow-tie effect. A bow tie forms when light isn't reflected back from the diamond's center; it looks like a dark bow tie is present within the gem. (You can also read more about this in our guide to diamond bow ties.) It's helpful to have a gemologist check for a bow tie, because they know exactly what to look for. One of our on-staff experts would be happy to help.
Here's the fun part. A pear-shaped diamond can be worn with the point facing the hand, or down the length of the finger. It all comes down to personal choice. Down the finger is more common, as many brides-to-be find this flatters the hand, making the fingers look longer. But that totally depends on personal style — and she can always switch it up if she'd like!
We get it. We have thousands of gorgeous, GIA-certified stones to choose from. That's a lot to sift through. So have our expert gemologists do it for you. Fill out the form below to let us know a little about what makes a diamond perfect for you. Then we'll have our experts hunt through all those diamonds to find you the 3 they think best fit your budget and your priorities. You'll get gorgeous gemstone suggestions delivered right to your inbox.
Below, please see the ideal table, depth and length to width ratio combinations for pear cuts. Although you should shop for a teardrop diamond within the ideal measurements for the table and depth, the length to width ratio is subjective. The table and depth measurements maximize the look of the stone and how it reflects light. The length to width ratio, however, affects the outline of the diamond. If you like a longer stone, go with that. If you like shorter, great! The most important thing with the length to width ratio is that you like the look of your stone and will love looking at it each and every day.
Depth % for Pear Diamonds
Excellent: 72%-54%
Very Good: 76%-52%
Good: 78%-46%
Table % of Pear Diamonds
Excellent: 66%-52%
Very Good: 68%-50%
Good: 75%-45%
Length to width Ratio for Pear Diamonds
1.30
1.50
1.70
You don't have to go above and beyond on your setting to get a unique pear shaped diamond engagement ring. The teardrop stone is visually stunning, and you can change the look of your ring simply by flipping the way that you wear it on your finger. We cannot emphasize enough just how striking a simple 1 carat pear diamond ring can be, especially if you enjoy a length to width ratio other than the "ideal." But there are certainly ways to ensure your ring turns heads that don't come down to the stone. The Petite Three Stone Diamond Engagement Ring pairs a teardrop with two round brilliants for visual interest. And our Four Points Diamond Engagement Ring grabs attention with its unique band and milgrain metal work.
But metal choice is another great way to play with the look of your pear shaped diamond setting. A pear shaped yellow gold engagement ring, for example, will look like a vintage style engagement ring thanks to its warm glow. Even better, the warmth from the setting can make lower color diamonds look one color grade clearer -- which can hide some tint in the point of your teardrop. And, yes, white gold is a perennial favorite, but you might want to consider a teardrop rose gold ring. Depending on whether you choose 14k or 18k, rose gold can appear pink in color or a gentle champagne hue. And the symbolism of this metal means a teardrop rose gold engagement ring is doubly romantic. The shape of the stone signifies your emotional bond, while the metal stands for romantic love.
You can get a taste for some of the different setting and metal combinations in our collection of our favorite pear cut engagement rings. But feel free to reach out to work hand-in-hand with one of our gemologists. And don't forget that we have a free home try-on program so you can make sure that your setting is not only one that you like but also one that fits your lifestyle.
Pear cut diamonds have approximate millimeter sizes that correspond to certain carat weights. Please see the chart below of the popular pear diamond sizes and their carat weights for a pear diamond size comparison. For all sizes and shapes, please visit our diamond size chart page.
In comparison to round brilliant diamonds, pear-shaped diamonds are certainly less expensive. The pear cut distributes the diamond’s carat weight across its length, making it look larger than it actually is.
A lab grown diamond is optically, physically, and chemically the same as an earth-mined diamond. Therefore the answer is no; there is no difference between a lab grown pear diamond and a natural pear diamond. However, earth-mined diamonds are born under the earth, whereas lab diamonds are cultivated inside sophisticated labs.
The best color to select for a pear diamond is the H color, as it will give you the most sparkle for your buck. When shopping for pear diamond, we advise going up a color grade because this shape holds most of its depth in its rounded bottom. Thus, it tends to show color on the pointed side.
Many consider 1.45 to 1.75 to be the ideal length-to-width ratio (L/W) for a pear-shaped diamond.