Pear Diamond
Explore the elegant pear shaped lab-grown diamond for your engagement ring. Aurela Diamonds' guide covers ideal proportions, symmetry tips, and setting styles for this teardrop beauty.
The pear shaped diamond, often called the "teardrop," is a captivating hybrid that combines the brilliance of a round cut at its rounded end with the dramatic taper of a marquise at its point. This unique silhouette creates a sense of movement and elegance on the hand, drawing the eye along its graceful curve from the broad base to the delicate tip. Like the oval and marquise, the pear faces up larger than a round of the same carat weight, offering an excellent balance of size, sparkle, and visual drama.
The pear shape is remarkably versatile in how it can be worn. Set traditionally with the point facing toward the fingertip, it elongates the finger beautifully. Reversed so the point faces the wrist, it creates a unique, fashion-forward look. The pear also excels as a pendant, drop earring, or side stone in a three-stone ring, making it one of the most adaptable shapes in the jeweller's toolkit.
At Aurela Diamonds, we select our IGI-certified lab-grown pear diamonds with meticulous attention to symmetry and light performance. A beautifully proportioned pear should have two perfectly symmetrical halves, a smooth, well-defined point, and an evenly rounded base. Our team helps Vancouver buyers identify the subtle quality differences that separate a stunning pear from an average one.
History of the Pear Cut
The pear shape was invented in 1458 by Lodewyk van Bercken, a Flemish diamond polisher who is credited with developing the diamond polishing wheel, or scaif, which revolutionised the cutting industry. Van Bercken's innovation allowed diamond cutters to place facets with unprecedented precision, and the pear was one of the first complex shapes to emerge from this new technology. It represented a dramatic leap forward from the simple point cuts and table cuts that had dominated diamond cutting for centuries.
Throughout the Renaissance and into the modern era, the pear shape became associated with luxury and individuality. Famous pear-shaped diamonds include the 69.42-carat Taylor-Burton Diamond and the 203-carat Millennium Star. The shape has maintained a steady presence in high jewellery and engagement ring design, valued for its ability to combine the familiar sparkle of a round with a silhouette that is distinctly its own.
Pear Diamond Characteristics
Pros & Cons
+Advantages
- Unique teardrop silhouette offers a look that is both classic and distinctive
- Faces up larger than a round diamond of the same carat weight
- Elongates the finger when set with the point facing outward
- Versatile: works beautifully as a centre stone, pendant, earring, or side stone
- Generally priced lower per carat than round brilliants
-Considerations
- The pointed end is vulnerable to chipping and requires a protective V-prong setting
- Can exhibit a bow-tie effect that must be visually evaluated
- Symmetry is critical; asymmetric pears look noticeably unbalanced
- Colour can concentrate at the point, making warmer colour grades more visible at the tip
- No standardised cut grading makes comparison shopping more challenging
Best For
Recommended Ring Settings
Solitaire
A solitaire with a V-prong at the point showcases the pear's distinctive teardrop silhouette and allows the shape to be the focal point.
View Guide →Halo
A halo follows the pear's curved outline, amplifying its visual size and adding a frame of sparkle that protects the delicate point.
View Guide →Three-Stone
Pear-shaped side stones flanking a round or oval centre create a flowing, elegant composition with symbolic meaning (past, present, future).
View Guide →Buying Tips for Pear Diamonds
Symmetry is the most important quality factor for a pear. The left and right sides should be mirror images, the point should be centred, and the rounded end should be a smooth semicircle.
Always use a V-prong or V-tip setting at the pointed end. This protects the most vulnerable part of the diamond from chipping.
View the stone for bow-tie effect. A faint bow-tie can add dimension, but a dark, prominent one diminishes the diamond's beauty.
If the pear will be a centre stone set with the point up, consider one colour grade higher than you would for a round, as colour can pool at the tip.
A length-to-width ratio of 1.50 to 1.65 is the most popular. This produces a graceful teardrop without appearing too narrow or too stubby.
Frequently Asked Questions
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