The marquise cut — an elongated shape with pointed ends, sometimes called a "navette" cut — was reportedly commissioned by Louis XV of France to resemble the smile of a woman he admired. Whatever the origin story, the shape has stayed popular for one practical reason: it makes a stone look larger than its carat weight suggests, more than almost any other cut.
Why Marquise Reads Larger Per Carat
Because the marquise shape stretches a stone's surface area across a longer, narrower outline, a 1.5 CT marquise moissanite can visually cover as much finger space as a 2 CT round stone. For buyers working within a set budget who want a bold, statement-sized look, this is one of the most efficient shapes to choose.
Flattering the Hand
The elongated silhouette also visually lengthens the finger, which is part of why the shape has stayed a bridal favorite across decades. It pairs particularly well with slimmer hands and tends to look striking in both solitaire and east-west orientations.
Settings That Work Best With a Marquise Center
- Solitaire with a six-prong or bezel setting to protect the pointed tips, which are the most vulnerable part of the stone.
- Hidden halo — adds brilliance without disrupting the elongated line.
- Three-stone with trapezoid or baguette side stones to echo the elongated shape.
- East-west setting for a more modern, fashion-forward look.
A Note on Prong Protection
Because the tips of a marquise stone are its most exposed points, prong placement matters more here than with rounder shapes. Our settings are built with reinforced tip protection as standard, and we recommend a protective setting (rather than a plain claw prong) for anyone who wears their ring daily during manual tasks.
Explore marquise moissanite rings by carat weight and metal, or request a custom marquise design through our team.
