# Pear Shaped Diamond Guide: Ratio, Bow-Tie, Point and Settings

URL: https://diamonds.com.lb/pear-shaped-diamond-guide/ · Updated 2026-10-16

A pear shaped diamond joins a rounded end to a single point, and nearly everything worth checking follows from that: the outline, the dark bow-tie, the colour that gathers in the tip and the prong that guards it. This guide takes each in turn. The certified natural pears in our Beirut stock are on our [pear shaped diamonds page](https://diamonds.com.lb/pear-shaped-diamonds-lebanon/); you can also browse all our [certified loose diamonds](https://diamonds.com.lb/loose-diamonds/) or [build your ring](https://diamonds.com.lb/build-your-ring/) around one.

> **Quick answer:** Look for a length-to-width ratio between about 1.45 and 1.75, a bow-tie that breaks up as the stone turns on video, level shoulders, a point centred on the rounded end and a V-prong over the tip. If colour worries you, go a grade higher. diamonds.com.lb lists certified natural pears from its Beirut stock and sources others on request.

## Anatomy of a teardrop

A pear is a modified brilliant, faceted to sparkle like a round, with an outline shared between two very different ends. Jewellers name four parts of it.

- **The head.** The rounded end. It should form a smooth, full arc, close to half a circle, neither flattened nor narrow.
- **The shoulders.** Where the head turns toward the tip. One high shoulder tilts the stone.
- **The wings.** The long sides running down to the point. Gently curved wings look graceful; straight ones look stiff, bulging ones heavy.
- **The point.** The tip itself: the thinnest, most exposed part of the diamond.

The bow-tie appears at the widest part, where the head meets the wings.

## Length-to-width ratio: from full to slender

Divide the length by the width, both printed in the measurements line of the report (our guide to [reading a GIA report](https://diamonds.com.lb/how-to-read-gia-diamond-report/) shows where). Most pears that buyers love fall between about 1.45 and 1.75. Treat these bands as guidelines, since shoulders and wings also change the look.

| Ratio (guideline) | How the pear looks | Suits |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Under about 1.45 | Short and plump, almost a heart without the cleft | A softer, rounder look |
| About 1.45 to 1.60 | Balanced, the teardrop most people picture | Almost any setting |
| About 1.60 to 1.75 | Longer and more elegant, with a finer point | Maximum length on the finger |
| Over about 1.75 | Slim and dramatic; a bow-tie can grow more visible | A deliberate, fashion-led choice |

The ratio is a matter of taste. Whatever you choose, a pear faces up larger than a round of the same weight (see [carat versus size on the hand](https://diamonds.com.lb/diamond-carat-size-guide-hand/)).

## The bow-tie, and how to read it in the 360° video

Almost every pear shows a darker band across its widest part, shaped like a bow-tie. Some pavilion facets of an elongated brilliant leak light or reflect the viewer's head instead of returning brightness. A trace is normal; what matters is its strength and whether it moves. A photograph can hide or exaggerate it, so our [360° videos](https://diamonds.com.lb/why-360-video-before-you-buy/) are the tool to use:

1. Pause on the frame where the stone faces you squarely and find the darkest area across the middle.
2. Let it play. In a good pear, those dark zones flicker and break into sparkle as the stone tilts.
3. Be wary when one solid black band stays put at every angle, or covers a large share of the face.

No report mentions it, so this check is yours; we are happy to give an honest opinion on WhatsApp.

## Symmetry: shoulders, wings and the line through the point

A pear has a single axis of symmetry, from the tip through the middle of the head. Fold the stone along that line in your mind and the halves should match: the point sits exactly on the axis rather than hooking sideways, the shoulders are level, and the wings curve evenly all the way down. GIA gives fancy shapes no overall cut grade, only polish and symmetry grades, so your eye has the final word on the outline.

## Protecting the point

The tip is where a pear is most likely to chip, usually from a knock against a door frame. Three things reduce the risk:

- **A V-prong.** A chevron of metal wrapping the tip, so the prong takes the blow. A bezel edge at the point does the same job.
- **A sound girdle.** "Extremely thin" on the report, near the point, is a warning sign.
- **No feather near the tip.** A small internal fracture in the thinnest part of the stone is a good reason to keep looking.

## Which way should the point face?

Traditionally the point faces the fingertip, so the taper carries the eye along the finger and makes the hand look longer. Toward the wrist reads softer; east-west turns the teardrop sideways. Decide before the ring is made, because the V-prong is built for one direction.

## Colour gathers in the tip

In elongated brilliants, body colour tends to concentrate at the narrow end, so a near-colourless pear can show a tip a shade warmer than its head. If that worries you, choose a colour grade or two higher than you would for a round, especially for white gold or platinum. In yellow or rose gold a slightly warmer pear looks natural. Our [colour and clarity chart](https://diamonds.com.lb/diamond-colour-clarity-chart/) sets out every grade.

Clarity is kinder: brilliant facets break up small inclusions, so an [eye-clean](https://diamonds.com.lb/eye-clean-diamonds-clarity-secret/) pear does not need a top grade.

## Settings that flatter a pear

- **Solitaire.** The purest frame for the outline, with a V-prong at the tip and prongs around the head: see our [solitaire engagement rings](https://diamonds.com.lb/solitaire-engagement-rings-lebanon/).
- **Halo.** Small diamonds that follow the teardrop, add face-up size and surround the point with metal: see [halo engagement rings](https://diamonds.com.lb/halo-engagement-rings-lebanon/).
- **East-west.** The pear set sideways across the finger: modern and understated.
- **Pear side stones.** Small pears flanking a centre stone are a classic of [three-stone rings](https://diamonds.com.lb/three-stone-engagement-rings-lebanon/).

[Pavé](https://diamonds.com.lb/pave-engagement-rings-lebanon/), [side-stone](https://diamonds.com.lb/side-stone-engagement-rings-lebanon/), [cathedral](https://diamonds.com.lb/cathedral-engagement-rings-lebanon/) and [twisted](https://diamonds.com.lb/twisted-engagement-rings-lebanon/) bands suit it too. Every ring is made to order in 18K white, yellow or rose gold or platinum, in about a week to ten days. A few designs drawn for a pear:

- [Pear-Shaped Side-Stone Diamond Engagement Ring](https://diamonds.com.lb/ring/pear-shaped-side-stone-diamond-engagement-ring/)
- [Pear-Shaped Delicate Twist Petite Engagement Ring](https://diamonds.com.lb/ring/pear-shaped-delicate-twist-petite-engagement-ring/)
- [Pear-Shaped Petite Split-Shank Solitaire Ring](https://diamonds.com.lb/ring/pear-shaped-petite-split-shank-solitaire-ring/)
- [Pear-Shaped Diamond Pavé Engagement Ring](https://diamonds.com.lb/ring/pear-shaped-diamond-pave-engagement-ring/)

## Pear diamonds at diamonds.com.lb

The certified natural pears in our Beirut stock appear on our [pear shaped diamonds in Lebanon](https://diamonds.com.lb/pear-shaped-diamonds-lebanon/) page, each with its price, its GIA or HRD report and its 360° video. If none fits your brief, send it on [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/9613579089) and we will source a pear to specification, typically within 2 to 3 weeks, with report numbers you can [verify online](https://diamonds.com.lb/how-to-verify-gia-hrd-certificate-online/). A deposit reserves the stone; the balance is paid when you collect by appointment in Beirut, or on free insured delivery within Greater Beirut. Buyers abroad choose and reserve remotely, then collect on arrival (see [buying from abroad](https://diamonds.com.lb/diaspora/)). The [oval](https://diamonds.com.lb/oval-cut-diamond-guide/), [marquise](https://diamonds.com.lb/marquise-diamond-guide/) and [shapes](https://diamonds.com.lb/diamond-shapes-guide/) guides compare its relatives.

## Common questions about pear shaped diamonds

### What is the best length-to-width ratio for a pear shaped diamond?

As a guideline, most buyers prefer between about 1.45 and 1.75. Around 1.45 to 1.60 gives the classic teardrop; toward 1.75 it looks longer and more elegant. Below that range a pear turns plump, above it slender. It is a matter of taste.

### Which way should a pear diamond point on an engagement ring?

Traditionally toward the fingertip, which lengthens the line of the finger. Toward the wrist gives a softer, less usual look, and east-west lays it sideways. All three are correct; settle the direction before the ring is made, because the V-prong at the tip is built for one orientation.

### Why does my pear diamond look dark in the middle?

That band is the bow-tie, common to pears, ovals and marquises. A faint one that flickers and breaks up as the stone moves is normal; a solid black band at every angle is a cutting weakness. Judge it on a 360° video, since no report grades it.

### Should I choose a higher colour grade for a pear shaped diamond?

Often, yes. Body colour tends to gather in the narrow point, so a pear can look slightly warmer at the tip than a round of the same grade. For white gold or platinum, many buyers go one or two grades higher; in yellow or rose gold the warmth blends in.

### Is a pear shaped diamond practical for everyday wear?

Yes, once the point is protected. A V-prong or a bezel edge over the tip lets metal take the knocks that would otherwise land on the thinnest part of the stone, and avoiding a feather near the point lowers the risk further.