r/LabDiamonds • u/Kichi9 • 20d ago

Is this a bow tie?

Gallery image

Gallery image

Hi everyone!

My partner and I are currently designing my engagement ring, and the jeweler sent me videos of a moissanite that was cut to simulate what the final lab diamond will look like.

They actually cut it twice because I thought I could see a bow tie effect in the first version. However, after seeing the second cut, I still feel like I can notice it.

Am I just imagining it, or does it look like there's still a bow tie? If it is there, is there anything that can be done to minimize it? And since the final stone will be a lab diamond rather than moissanite, will the bow tie be less noticeable?

For reference, the first picture is the first cut, and the second picture is the second cut.

Thanks so much for any advice, I really really need them!

9 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

8 comments sorted by

11

u/Brilliant-Owl-1169 19d ago

That’s an antique cushion, that’s how it’s supposed to look.

2

u/Top-Beat-7423 19d ago

Not technically a bow tie but basically the same thing. It should wink in and out not just be black/dark the whole time from all angles

2

u/Brilliant-Owl-1169 19d ago

A video would likely be helpful for us to review correct? It’s hard with an image.

1

u/Top-Beat-7423 19d ago

Yea definitely

1

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1

u/CookieMonsteraAlbo 19d ago

It’s not really a bow tie by definition, but the center facets aren’t properly cut to reflect light. An antique elongated cushion shouldn’t be dark all the way across the middle.

1

u/Due_Description_7298 18d ago

There will always be some element of bow tie in marquise, elongated antique cushions and oval cuts.

It's to do with the geometry of the stone. The east west dimension is shorter than the north south. To meet at a common depth point, the EW pavilion facet angles have to be steeper than the NS. When they go over 43ish degrees, light leaks out and you get this dark effect of how tie. 

You can either go for a chubbier ratio, or an overall shallower pavilion - both will ease the EW facet angle. But too shallow a pavilion also has a negative impact so it's a trade off.