The Pear cut – also known as a teardrop shape – is a modified round brilliant cut diamond with one elongated pointed end.
Variations of the pear shaped diamond have been in existence for hundreds of years. The Briolette cut, a pear-shaped cut with triangular facets, was widely used for all kinds of gemstones, while the Pendeloque, another version of the pear cut, was used mostly for diamonds.
The typical pear cut features 58 facets and has a recommended length-to-width ratio of 1.5:1, although any proportion that falls within the range of 1.45:1 to 1.75:1 is considered acceptable.
Pear cut diamonds, like other elongated diamond cuts, flatter the hand and make the wearer’s fingers appear longer. When set as solitaires, pear cut diamonds should be given a five-prong setting: two prongs holding the rounded end, two on each side, and a V-prong at the pointed end. Pear cut diamonds are also a popular choice for pendants and earrings.
Famous pear cut diamonds include the Great Chrysanthemum Diamond, a 104.15-carat stone with a color grade of Fancy Orange Brown; the Taylor-Burton Diamond, cut by jeweler Harry Winston to 69.42 carats and bought by Richard Burton for Elizabeth Taylor in 1969; and the Amsterdam Diamond – a black diamond weighing 33.74 carats. The Amsterdam diamond contains 145 facets, more than twice the usual number of facets on a Pear cut stone, and in 2001 set a record auction price for a black diamond.
