“Big girls need big diamonds.” Don’t we all do!
The renowned beauty behind this ever popular quote, Elizabeth Taylor, knew her diamonds all too well. Amongst her famous attributes; acting, her violet eyes, romantic affairs with men; her illustrious love affair with diamonds majorly with the pear shaped diamond is perhaps the most notorious of them all. In fact, such was her craze for diamonds that, one day Richard Burton found Elizabeth in her boudoir, amidst her precious jewelry scattered all around her. When he asked what she was doing, she simply shrugged and said, “Playing with my jewels.” Over decades of their scandalous romance Richard Burton gifted Taylor many jewels, but the most legendary of all was the 69 carat pear-shaped diamond pendant, proudly named the Taylor-Burton diamond. This exquisite pear-shaped diamond necklace is perhaps one of the most infamous jewelry that made history.
Such is the grandeur of a pear-shaped diamond that it speaks miles for itself, and of late it has been seen adorning the hands of many women; not just celebrities. So what makes this dazzling brilliant cut so appealable with the ladies? Let’s have a look at five fascinating facts you perhaps didn’t know about the pear shaped diamond cut:
A Glorious Legend Made:
Shine bright like a diamond, they say. Can you imagine a diamond without the dazzling sparkle and shine? The thought itself is appalling, isn’t it? To the glorious brilliance of a diamond, we own our thanks to the legendary Lodewyk (Louis) van Berquem. If it wasn’t for this visionary, not only we wouldn’t we have a pear shaped diamond cut, but also our diamonds wouldn’t glitter and shine the way they do today. He first introduced the diamond cut as early as 1400 and with it created a history by bringing forth the concept of symmetry and placement of facets which adds that special sparkle to the diamonds. It so believed that the Pear shaped diamond is an ideal blend of the marquise shaped and the conventional round diamond. As
Marquise Cut Loose Diamonds are oval shaped with a pointed ends so when round and marquise cut are merged, you get the exquisite shape, which has one pointed end and one round end. This unique shape is also referred as the teardrop.
The Great Star:
Isn’t a best relationship the one which brings out the best in you? Diamond cutters beyond doubt know which cut is excellent for the finest diamonds that bring out the best in them. As history has witnessed, quite a handful of the most famous diamond have been cut using pear-shape. From the pristine flawless diamonds to the most rare and fancy colored diamonds and gemstones, diamond cutters know only a pear-shape cut can show off the exceptional fire and do justice to these rare beauties. In fact the glory of one of the most famous diamond goes to the Millennium Star, a 203.04 carat pear shaped flawless diamond grading D. That’s not all, the largest pear shaped diamond is Cullinan I, a 503.20 carat diamond set in the Imperial Scepter of the Crown Jewels also popularly known as the Great Star of Africa.
Celebrity Choice:
Like a moth to a flame, Hollywood celebrities are drawn to the lime light, the fame, and the glory of the center stage. So it’s hardly a surprise that these stardoms bask in the grandeur which the pear shaped diamonds brings to their attire and have been seen courting jewelry in this cut at the red carpet events. The trend Elizabeth Taylor started was carried forward with much enthusiasm by many celebs like Victoria Beckham who had been spotted with a massive door knob size pear-shaped diamond ring. Pop and movie stars like Avril Lavigne with her 14 carat stunning
diamond engagement ring, Grey’s Anatomy’s Katherine Heigl with micro-pave halo engagement ring, Jessica Simpson and many more.
Not without a flaw:
‘Absence of a flaw in beauty is itself a flaw.’ Like all good things don’t come without a catch, so does this diamond shape! No doubt Lodewyk van Berquem was applauded for his brilliant work, but also equally criticized by many for the quantity of diamond lost during the cutting process. Yes, brilliance does come with a price. There is yet another flaw; the bow-tie effect. A dark shadow in shape of a bow-tie that sometimes appears on the diamonds when light passes through instead of refracting from the surface. With a good quality diamond and finer finishing this effect can be drastically reduced.
The Plus Side:
If the rich historical significance and celebrity appeal does not have enough sway to make you rush to the nearest jeweler and buy a pear shaped diamond jewelry, here is something that will help you change your mind. Though the best way to wear a pear-shaped diamond is in form of dangle earring and pendants because of its singularly exquisite shape, nothing will compliment your fingers better than a solitaire engagement ring with a pear shaped diamond. It has a slimming effect on your finger and makes your hand look oh so graceful. But that’s not all! Though most popular amongst the masses is round and princess cut diamonds for it brilliance, pear shaped diamond with equal amount of fire brings a singularity to your choice and makes you stand out in the crowd at a much affordable price.
So if you are one of those who want to beat the tradition and show the world that you are not afraid to be different, go right ahead and choose from beautiful pear shaped engagement rings. With immense ring styles to choose from, bring a twist to the traditional outlook by selecting one that you will be proud to show off for the rest of your life.
