Natural & lab-grown

Oval Diamonds

An oval is a brilliant cut stretched into a soft ellipse. It looks larger than a round of the same weight and lengthens the finger.

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Choosing an oval diamond

Why people love ovals

The oval keeps the sparkle of a round brilliant in an elongated outline. Its spread across the top means it looks larger per carat than a round, and worn north to south it makes the hand look longer and slimmer.

How to choose one

Look at the length-to-width ratio: about 1.3 to 1.5 is the classic oval, higher looks slimmer. Most ovals show a darker 'bow-tie' across the centre; choose one where it is soft rather than dark. Look at the stone itself, in a photo or video, before you choose.

Settings that suit it

Ovals are beautiful in a halo, which adds to their size, in a bezel, or set east to west across the finger for a modern look.

DANHOV settings for an oval diamond

Choose a diamond above and select Set in a ring to pair it with a setting, or build your ring from the setting first. See all engagement rings.

Oval diamond questions

What is the bow-tie in an oval diamond?

A darker band across the centre of an elongated brilliant-cut diamond, caused by the way light leaves it. Almost every oval has one; in a well-cut stone it is faint.

Do oval diamonds look bigger?

Usually, yes. An oval has more surface area on top than a round of the same carat weight, so it tends to look larger.