Is an Oval Cut Engagement Ring Right for Me?

Oval cut diamonds have a special charm. They have a certain gracefulness about them because there are no sharp points on the face of the gem. For many of us, oval engagement rings have a romantic flair, as well. So, what should you know before choosing a preset oval engagement ring from With Clarity?

What are preset engagement rings?

If you’re looking for an affordable engagement ring, consider a preset ring. One reason for this is that they are not made-to-order. Jewelers are able to buy the needed diamonds in bulk and pass the savings on to you. On the other hand, if you choose a customizable ring rather than one of our preset oval engagement rings, you have the flexibility of choosing your center diamond. Speaking of customizing, it takes more time to personally modify a ring because you have to wait for the diamond setter to place the diamond or stone within the setting you want.

The History of Oval Cut Diamonds

It’s no surprise that oval cut diamonds are increasingly popular. After all, they look impressive and give a graceful appearance. However, these diamonds weren’t always available. The modern oval cut was only recently developed around the mid-1900s. Today, most preset rings with oval center diamonds have a sleek modern look. Yet, this shape has vintage roots, and there are famous early oval diamonds such as the Koh-i-Noor and the Blue Hope diamond.

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The economics of an oval

As with so many things in life, the choice of preset diamond rings for a wedding or engagement is a matter of taste. Some women have a specific idea in mind of what they want, while others are more open to ideas. Besides the overall romance of an oval diamond, these oval shapes make some of the best affordable preset engagement rings. Why? Remember the 4 C’s: cut, color, clarity, and carat.

The Brilliant cut style of the oval diamond is better at hiding inclusions, meaning that you have more flexibility on the clarity scale for this shape. Whereas Emerald or Asscher cut diamonds easily reveal every internal inclusion. Moreover, diamonds with a Brilliant cut, like round shapes, are much more expensive due to losing more of the precious rough diamond. This makes oval a great choice visually and also for your budget.

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The payoffs: appearances

In addition to being romantic, an oval diamond looks bigger for its carat weight. For less money, you can buy a diamond with the illusion that it “looks” larger. Especially if you consider preset halo engagement rings, the combination of the oval diamond in its setting can look up to half a carat size bigger.

Does your girlfriend have short fingers? Here’s an opportunity to minimize that. An added bonus: oval cut diamonds help to make fingers look longer. On the other hand, the shape can also showcase slender fingers in a way that’s just delightful. Unless she doesn’t like the oval shape, just about any woman can wear an oval cut diamond engagement ring.

Wait, before you choose an oval cut diamond and/or a preset ring

Watch out for the bowtie effect, which are dark facets that form a bowtie shape. Rings that have a poorly cut oval diamond can suffer from too much darkness in the stone. When there is too much darkness in a diamond, its facets cannot reflect or refract light effectively, no matter what angle. Diamond cutting is not a small feat. Diamond cutters have to strategically cut facets to keep in mind how many angles a diamond could be viewed/where light can hit. Almost all oval diamonds can have a dark spot in the stone, but some say this adds character to the diamond.

When buying preset engagement rings online, don’t choose one with an oval stone if the color grade indicates a yellow color. It’ll make the low color grading more obvious. Unless, of course, you want the diamond put in a yellow gold setting. In this case, the yellow stone and metal would compliment each other beautifully.

Preset Oval Engagement Rings: Our Favorites

Want some inspiration? Here are some popular favorites. Remember, if you cannot decide on a style, we have our complimentary home preview program.

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Lucida Diamond Ring

As part of our Aura preset diamond engagement ring collection, the Lucida ring is a lovely halo ring. In addition to the oval halo center, Lucida has small diamonds down a split and crossing shank. We’d recommend it for a feminine person who loves plenty of sparkle for an affordable price.

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Vera Diamond Ring

Want a truly classic and modern halo ring? If your lady would like something that’s simple but not to plain, Vera is an option to consider. It features a half-carat mined center stone, with the halo and small diamonds going down the shank.

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Bijou Diamond Ring

Part of our classic-yet-modern Lumina collection, Bijou boasts a full carat of diamonds. Its center is made of three oval diamonds, with three round brilliants on each side. That’s a total of nine diamonds on the ring, which has a heavy metal shank.

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Ardor Diamond Ring

For the girl who loves a more detailed preset oval engagement ring, consider the Ardor design. It’s part of our Adorn collection, which boasts intricate details in the metalwork. This results in wonderful sparkle without overpowering the lovely setting.

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Viviana Diamond Ring

Another lovely choice from the Adorn collection, Viviana is a halo ring with filigree metalwork and a diamond-studded shank. It’s also unique because the halo diamonds are much larger in proportion to the center diamond, which gives the illusion of a very large center stone.

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Bea Diamond Ring

How about three larger diamonds at once? Consider the Bea ring, which has a large oval and two pear diamonds in the center. These are bordered with over fifty smaller diamonds that surround the three stones and go down the shank.

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Proxima Diamond Ring

How does a stunning combination of an oval diamond, framed with some emerald cuts sound? She’d love the Proxima preset engagement ring, which combines both these cuts with some small brilliants to form a halo and fill in the split shank.

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If you choose a diamond for custom designs, we’ll help you choose a diamond that suits your taste.

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