Guides
A bow-tie is a dark band across the center of an oval (also pears and marquises). Certificates rarely grade it — you have to see it.
Fancy shapes often lack a full cut grade like rounds. Polish and symmetry help, but they do not score bow-tie severity. Two ovals with the same carat, color, and clarity can look completely different across the middle.
That is why photo and 360° video matter more for ovals than for many rounds.
Look for a dark stripe that stays obvious under most angles. A soft shadow that comes and goes is often acceptable. Reject stones where the center stays black and dead.
Check length-to-width ratio too. Many shoppers like roughly 1.35–1.50 for classic ovals, but preference varies — use the listing measurements.
Open oval results, prefer stones with photos and 360°, and compare two or three candidates at similar carat and price. Request the oval whose center stays bright in video.
Carat Mate lists certified loose diamonds for shoppers in the United States, Canada, the UAE, London, and Australia. Prices are in USD everywhere. We ship to the United States, Canada, the UAE, London, and Australia.
