Oval Cut Rings: Elegance, Brilliance, Styles & How to Choose

Oval-shaped cut rings come with innate beauty and splendid light. Their long structure gives them a graceful, slimming effect, whereby their fingers become longer and more elegant. This cut imparts the same type of sparkle as a round diamond, yet it has a sophisticated touch, ideal in both modern and vintage designs.

The oval shape is carefully cut with 56-58 facets to give it brighter and more active fire and brilliance. Stone's surface is stretched, which makes the stone look larger than the number of carats it has. It is necessary to check the presence of the bow-tie effect to have even sparkle. According to a GIA study, published in 2023, the oval cuts were included in the list of the three most desired shapes of engagement rings in the whole world.

What Are the Different Types of Oval Cut Diamonds?

Here are four different types of Oval Cut Rings:

1. Standard Oval Brilliant: This classic cut has balanced symmetry, 56-58 facets, and a consistent sparkle. It diffuses light, conceals inclusions well, and is fit for any style of a ring to appeal to the classic and elegant tastes.
2. Long and Narrow Oval: This ratio of over 1.45 is long and has a smooth appearance with increased finger length. Its elegant form brings out brilliance throughout the center, which suits solitaire and minimalist engagement rings.
3. Wide Oval: A Ratio below 1.30 makes a more face-up look with extreme fire. It offers the highest level of sparkle, which suits halo settings or vintage settings that highlight the surface of the diamond.
4. East-West Oval: It is made on the band lying horizontally, and a mix of modern art with a bold style. Setting improves the width of the fingers, is prominent in trendy designs, and represents uniqueness and harmony.

Which Ring Settings Best Complement Oval Cut Stones?

Here are the five rings best for oval-cut diamonds:

1. Solitaire: The solitaire setting features a single diamond which is an oval shape. The open design emphasizes its brightness and design, providing a classic, minimal appearance that adds glitz and glamour.
2. Halo or Hidden Halo: Smaller diamonds surrounding the oval enhance brilliance and make a larger visual size. Additional halo sparkles are also provided under the center stone to provide a refined, luxurious appearance.
3. Three-Stone Oval Rings: With a side and center diamond, the setting is three-stones, making it deeper and meaningful. This represents the past, present and future, and imparts emotional and visual depth to the ring.
4. Vintage Settings: Oval diamonds are coated with detailed milgrain, filigree or even engraving to provide them with an antique appearance. These designs give it more depth and texture, and the result is a romantic, heirloom-type ring.
5. East-West/Bezel Settings: The East-West setting inverts the oval horizontally to have a modern feel and the bezel setting encircles the stone in metal, giving it a sleek appearance, longevity and comfort in everyday use.

What Metals Enhance the Beauty of Oval-Cut Rings? 

Here are the four metals that enhance the beauty of oval cut rings:

1. White Gold and Platinum: The metals are cool-coloured and only serve to highlight the brilliance and sharpness of the oval diamond. It makes it look smooth and modern. Platinum is natural and white, heavy and hypoallergenic and white gold, which is a less expensive alternative, requires regular rhodium plating to retain its color.
2. Yellow Gold: This is a vintage or traditional look of metal; a warm, oval-shaped diamond contrasted with the beautiful yellow gold. Yellow gold conceals any light yellowish colour in lower-grade diamonds, thus making them look whiter.
3. Rose Gold: Rose gold is a pinkish, romantic shade that suits the oval shape of an oval diamond very well. This metal gives an old-time feel and a natural color that suits all skin tones.
4. Two-Tone Designs: Two metal colors are mixed together such as a white gold band with a yellow gold head, to make a versatile and elegant ring. This design enables the white metal to show the maximum brilliance of the diamond and the colored band provides a more personal and contrasting look.

How to Choose the Perfect Oval Cut Ring?

Here are the five things to keep in mind while choosing perfect oval cut rings:

1. Bow-tie Effect: This is a natural dark shadow on any oval cut, and this is reduced by a well-cut diamond. Test the stone under different lighting to make sure that the shadow is minimal and does not take away the brilliance. Do not purchase oval sight-unseen without checking the bow-tie.
2. Check Ratio: The length-to-width ratio determines the shape of the stone. Shapes ranging between 1.35 and 1.50 are the most classical and flexible. A proportional ratio produces a long, skinny appearance that favors shorter fingers, whereas a smaller ratio produces a rounder, weightier look. Select the ratio that pleases you the most.
3. Pay attention to Symmetry: Symmetry makes sure that the curves of the oval are symmetrical and the points are aligned. A bad fit results in an uneven ring or an ugly fit. Look at each side of the diamond; they need to be symmetrical to one another to look beautiful.
4. Match to Lifestyle: Select a setting that is applicable in everyday life. The traditional four or six-prong environment is eternal and safe. A bezel setting provides maximum security to very active wearers, as it surrounds the entire edge of a diamond. 
5. Balance the 4Cs: Focus on the 4Cs ( Cut, Color, Clarity, Carat) strategically. Cut is essential to brilliance. You can save by choosing a slightly lower clarity grade (VS1/VS2 tends to look eye-clean) and a near-colourless grade (G/H). Ovals display colour better than round cuts.

What Customization Options Work Best for Oval Cut Rings? 

Oval-cut rings can be customized indefinitely. Add a halo or hidden halo to the central stone to get sparkle and apparent size. Incorporate side stones such as tapered baguettes to add a traditional or add small round diamonds to get more sparkle to it. The inner band is engraved with a personal message. Proper settings like a vintage-driven milgrain or smooth and contemporary bezel can also design an exclusive design conveying personal style.

How Do You Care for and Maintain Your Oval Cut Ring?

Keep your oval ring shiny with proper care. Wash it once in week with light hot water, soap and a soft brush to remove the dirt and oils. Wash off and dry using a lint-free cloth. Arrange a professional inspection every six months to ensure that the prongs and setting are not damaged. Keep the ring in a different pouch to avoid scratches and do not wear the ring when doing intensive activity or cleaning with violent chemicals.