Marquise Engagement Rings

The marquise is one of the most distinctive outlines in engagement ring design — an elongated ellipse drawn to twin points, sometimes called a navette from its resemblance to a ship's hull. Where a round or cushion centre stone concentrates its visual weight in the middle of the ring, the marquise distributes it along the length of the finger, making the stone appear meaningfully larger for its carat weight and lending the hand a noticeably longer, narrower proportion. This collection of 361 marquise engagement rings is made to order in our Hatton Garden workshop, available with certified diamonds, coloured diamonds or gemstones, in your choice of gold or platinum. All 361 designs are in scope whether you are drawn to a clean solitaire or prefer shoulder accents and more decorative settings.

The range spans single-stone and multi-stone compositions. The Willow Diamond Engagement Ring presents the marquise with minimal shoulder detail; the Waverly Halo Diamond Engagement Ring surrounds the centre stone with a halo that amplifies its apparent size further still. For coloured accents, the Willow Ring With Sapphire Accents pairs the marquise outline with shoulder sapphires at £1,221, and the Luxe Rhiannon Three Stone Sapphire Engagement Ring builds a three-stone composition around it at £1,771. The design breadth means the collection serves both those who want the cut to read quietly and those who want it to read boldly.

Every diamond above 0.10ct is independently certified by GIA, IGI or HRD. Every ring is hallmarked at the London Assay Office before it leaves our workshop. Orders are delivered on a complimentary insured UK service with free resizing for life and a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects. Where a specific stone needs to be sourced, our team can advise before the order is placed.

What makes a marquise cut distinct

The marquise cut is an elongated modified brilliant: 58 facets arranged across an oval outline that terminates at two sharp points rather than a continuous curve. The cut was developed in eighteenth-century France and has been continuously refined since, but its defining characteristic — the pointed ends — has never changed. That geometry is responsible for everything that separates this cut from round, oval and pear alternatives.

Because the stone's surface area is spread across a longer footprint, a 1.00ct marquise covers more visible space on the finger than a 1.00ct round of the same weight. Industry comparison data consistently shows a marquise can appear 10–15% larger face-up than a round of equivalent carat. The trade-off is that the elongated shape requires careful attention to the length-to-width ratio — most clients prefer a ratio of 1.75:1 to 2.15:1, with narrower stones reading more traditional and wider stones reading more contemporary. Our team presents the ratio alongside the stone's certified dimensions at the point of selection.

How a marquise diamond looks on the hand

Set with its long axis running along the finger, a marquise creates a vertical elongation that makes the finger appear slimmer and longer than most other cuts achieve. This is the primary reason many clients choose it. Set perpendicular to the finger — a less common but visually arresting East-West orientation — the same stone reads wider and more graphic, sitting flat across the band rather than accentuating length.

The two pointed ends make the stone appear to extend beyond the edges of the band, which increases the visible area further. It also means the tips are the most structurally vulnerable part of the stone: a sharp contact on a hard surface can chip a point more readily than it would the rounded edge of a round brilliant. A claw or bezel that covers and protects each tip is standard in well-designed marquise settings, and every ring in this collection is made with adequate tip protection as a point of construction rather than an afterthought.

Best settings for a marquise diamond

The three settings that best serve the marquise are the solitaire, the halo and the three-stone. A solitaire places all attention on the outline and is the cleanest expression of the cut; the setting's only task is to hold the stone securely and protect its tips. A cathedral solitaire raises the centre stone above the band for a more formal profile. A low-set solitaire — sometimes called a bezel or part-bezel — provides maximum tip protection for clients who work with their hands.

A halo adds a border of smaller stones around the marquise perimeter, which follows the navette shape and makes the centre stone appear substantially larger. The Waverly Hidden Halo Diamond Engagement Ring places the halo beneath the centre stone so it is visible from the side rather than the face, a subtler interpretation. The Waverly Halo Diamond Ring with Black Diamond Accents uses contrast — black diamond halo stones against a white centre — to make the marquise outline a graphic design feature. For a three-stone arrangement, the Luxe Rhiannon Three Stone Lab Emerald Engagement Ring demonstrates how flanking stones can balance the marquise's length without competing with it.

How much does a marquise engagement ring cost in the UK?

The UK average engagement ring spend is £2,247 (Bridebook, 2026), and this collection sits comfortably on either side of that figure. Entry-level marquise engagement rings with smaller centre stones and 9ct gold settings begin at approximately £1,100–£1,200 — the Nadia Sapphire and Diamond Engagement Ring at £1,155 and the Willow Diamond Engagement Ring at the same price are representative. At the mid-range, 18ct gold or platinum settings with a certified 0.50ct–0.75ct marquise sit between £1,800 and £3,500. Above 1.00ct in a platinum halo, expect to be looking at £4,000 and upward depending on the stone's GIA, IGI or HRD grade.

Stone quality is the biggest variable. A 0.70ct marquise in F/VS1 will cost more than a 0.90ct marquise in J/SI2, and both will produce a ring that reads similarly from a distance. Our team can present side-by-side comparisons of certified stones at similar price points during the consultation, so the choice is based on observed quality rather than a specification sheet.

Carat-to-millimetre guide for marquise stones

Because the marquise's elongated footprint makes carat weight an unreliable guide to how large the stone will look, millimetre dimensions are more useful when making a selection. At the standard 1.85:1 length-to-width ratio, a 0.50ct marquise measures approximately 9.5mm × 5.0mm face-up; a 0.75ct stone runs to about 11.0mm × 6.0mm; a 1.00ct stone reaches approximately 12.5mm × 6.5mm. A 1.00ct marquise at those dimensions covers more visible finger area than a 1.20ct round brilliant set in the same band.

Proportions vary by cutter, and GIA, IGI and HRD certificates all record the actual dimensions of each stone. When selecting a stone for a made-to-order ring, we match the mounting dimensions to the stone's recorded measurements rather than working to a generic template. The Luxe Willow Sapphire and Diamond Engagement Ring and the Luxe Secret Garden Lab Emerald and Diamond Engagement Ring both show how the marquise outline carries additional shoulder or accent stones without appearing crowded when the centre stone's proportions are correctly matched to the band width.

Made to order at President Jewellers

Every ring in this collection is made to order from our Hatton Garden workshop. Lead time is 7 to 14 working days from order confirmation — straightforward solitaires at the faster end, detailed pavé shoulders and bespoke commissions toward fourteen days. The process begins with a CAD rendering of your chosen design, followed by a silver or wax sample that can be reviewed and tried on at the Hatton Garden workshop before any gold or platinum is cast. This stage is where proportions are confirmed and small adjustments — band width, claw style, stone orientation — are made without cost.

If you are sourcing a loose certified stone separately, it is delivered within 5 to 7 working days and the ring is then made to its precise dimensions on the standard 7–14 working day schedule. All orders include complimentary insured UK delivery, free resizing for life, and a 30-day return window on non-bespoke, non-engraved rings. Bespoke and engraved orders are not returnable. Our made-to-order page describes the full process in detail.

Frequently asked questions

Are marquise engagement rings a good choice?

For the right wearer, yes. The marquise offers one of the highest apparent-size-to-carat ratios of any cut, and its elongating effect on the finger is genuine rather than optical illusion — the stone physically covers more length. It suits those who prefer a traditional or romantic outline over the clean geometry of an emerald or the round's familiar symmetry. The pointed tips require a setting that protects them, but a well-built ring presents no practical disadvantage over a round brilliant for everyday wear. The design pool is narrower than round but broader than most people expect — this collection runs to 361 rings.

Is a marquise diamond cheaper than a round diamond?

Generally, yes. Marquise diamonds are priced at a modest discount to round brilliants of the same carat, colour and clarity grade because demand is lower and the per-carat premium on the round is driven partly by its consistent popularity. In practical terms, a marquise buyer can often acquire a stone that looks larger than its nominal carat weight suggests, at a price below what the equivalent face-up size would cost in a round. The certified grades — GIA, IGI or HRD — apply equally to both shapes, so the comparison is always made on the same quality basis.

What is the best length-to-width ratio for a marquise diamond?

Most clients find a ratio between 1.75:1 and 2.15:1 the most balanced. Ratios below 1.75:1 produce a stone that looks almost oval — the points become less pronounced and the distinctive navette silhouette is diminished. Ratios above 2.15:1 produce a very narrow, blade-like stone that reads striking on some hands and overly long on others. The ratio is recorded on GIA, IGI and HRD certificates alongside the millimetre dimensions, and we present both figures at the stone selection stage so the final look on the finger can be assessed directly.

What does the "3-month salary rule" mean for engagement ring budgets?

The idea that an engagement ring should cost three months' salary is a marketing convention — it originated in advertising campaigns from the 1980s and carries no practical weight. The UK average engagement ring spend is £2,247 (Bridebook, 2026). What a ring should cost is what makes sense for your financial circumstances and what reflects the quality and design you want to wear for decades. A well-chosen 0.70ct marquise in a good setting at £1,800 will give more long-term satisfaction than a stretched budget producing something you resent paying for.

How long does a marquise engagement ring take to make?

Seven to fourteen working days from order confirmation. Simple solitaires with a pre-selected stone are at the faster end; complex pavé shoulders, three-stone settings and bespoke modifications run to fourteen days. A CAD design is produced first, followed by a silver or wax sample at the Hatton Garden workshop where proportions can be checked before casting begins. Loose certified stones ordered separately arrive within 5 to 7 working days; the ring is then made to the stone's exact dimensions within the 7–14 working day window. Insured UK delivery is included on every order.

Are the diamonds in these rings independently certified?

Yes. Every diamond above 0.10ct in this collection is certified by GIA, IGI or HRD — three of the most widely recognised independent grading laboratories. The certificate records the stone's carat weight, cut grade (where applicable), colour, clarity, and precise dimensions, and is delivered with the ring. Lab-grown and natural diamonds are both available and graded by the same bodies on the same criteria. We do not sell uncertified diamonds in centre-stone positions. Every ring is hallmarked at the London Assay Office before delivery, confirming the metal fineness to UK legal standards.