The marquise cut has a reputation problem. Because it was everywhere in the 1970s and 1980s, a lot of people assume it dates a ring. If you have inherited one, or you are drawn to the shape but worried it looks old-fashioned, this guide covers both sides of the question: whether marquise is genuinely outdated, and exactly how to modernise a marquise diamond you already own.

What a marquise cut actually is

A marquise is a long, narrow stone with a point at each end, shaped a little like a rugby ball or a boat hull. It is a brilliant cut, which means it uses the same family of triangular and kite-shaped facets as a round diamond, arranged over an elongated outline.

The shape has a good story attached. It is said to have been commissioned in 18th-century France for King Louis XV, cut to echo the smile of the Marquise de Pompadour. We would treat that as a well-worn trade legend rather than documented history, but it is why the shape carries a name and a certain drama.

Are marquise diamonds outdated?

Short answer: no, but the settings from forty years ago often are.

This is the distinction that matters, and it is the one most articles miss. The shape itself is a long, elegant outline that flatters the finger. What dates a 1980s marquise ring is usually the mount around it: heavy yellow gold shoulders, a tall cathedral head that lifts the stone far off the finger, tiny accent stones set in a starburst, and thick claws that swallow the stone’s outline.

Marquise has been quietly returning for several years. It appears in modern east-west settings (the stone laid horizontally across the finger rather than pointing up it), in three-stone rings, in bezels, and in stacking bands. The stone has not changed. The design language around it has.

If you want the shape in a contemporary mount today, our Solitaire Marquise Cut Engagement Ring is a clean, minimal treatment — £538 at the time of writing — and the Three Stone Marquise Cut Engagement Ring shows how well the shape works when it is not fighting a busy setting.

What people really mean when they say “dated”

The feature that looks dated	The modern fix
Very tall cathedral head	Lower-profile setting that sits close to the finger
Heavy, wide yellow gold shank	Slim band, or a change of metal to white gold or platinum
Six thick claws obscuring the outline	Four fine claws plus V-tips protecting the points
Starburst of tiny accent stones	A clean solitaire, a pavé band, or a three-stone layout
Stone set upright along the finger	East-west setting, laid across the finger
Deep, narrow stone with a dark “bow tie”	Cannot be fixed by resetting — see below

How to update a marquise diamond

If you have a marquise stone in a setting you no longer like, you have real options. In rough order of cost and impact:

1. Have it professionally cleaned and checked first

Do this before deciding anything. Decades of soap film and skin oil dull a diamond dramatically, and many people who think they dislike their stone actually dislike a dirty one. A jeweller will also check the claws, which matters enormously on a marquise because the two points are fragile.

2. Reset the stone in a new mount

This is the biggest visual change available and it keeps the diamond, which is usually the sentimental part. The old mount is removed, the stone is checked, and it is set into a new ring made to your specification. A low-profile solitaire, a bezel, or a three-stone design with tapered baguettes on either side will all read as modern.

We take on this kind of work as a bespoke commission with no extra design cost. If you want to see finished examples of the styles first, the Halo Marquise Cut Engagement Ring in White Gold shows how a halo makes a modest marquise look considerably larger, and the V Shaped Marquise Cut Engagement Ring shows a more sculptural, current approach.

3. Turn it east-west

Simply rotating the stone ninety degrees, so it lies across the finger, is one of the cheapest ways to make a marquise look completely contemporary. It also protects the points, which sit tucked against the shank rather than exposed at the ends.

4. Change the metal

A marquise that reads as dated in heavy yellow gold often looks entirely different in platinum or white gold. Bear in mind that if the diamond is a warmer colour grade, a white metal will make that tint more obvious. Rhodium plating white gold is a maintenance job that needs redoing every couple of years; platinum does not need it.

5. Add stones around it

A halo of small diamonds around a marquise adds size and frames the outline. Alternatively, keep the ring and add a shaped wedding band that follows the marquise’s curve — our Chevron Marquise Cut Wedding Band is designed for exactly that job, at £789 at the time of writing.

6. Trade the stone in for a new one

If the diamond has a strong bow tie — the dark band across the middle caused by the cut, which cannot be polished out — or if it is badly chipped, resetting will not rescue it. In that case, a new lab-grown marquise with a free IGI certificate will usually cost far less than you expect and will look dramatically better.

What to check on any marquise stone

• Bow tie. Tilt the stone. Every marquise has some shadow across the centre; a good one has a faint one. A heavy black band across the middle is a cutting fault.
• Symmetry. The two halves should mirror each other and the two points should line up. Uneven marquises look wrong and you cannot unsee it.
• Length-to-width ratio. Most people prefer somewhere between 1.75 and 2.15. Under 1.75 looks stubby; over 2.15 looks very narrow and is more fragile.
• Point protection. The tips must be covered by V-shaped claws. Unprotected points chip.

Frequently asked questions

Do marquise diamonds look bigger than other shapes?

Yes, for their weight. Because the shape is long and relatively shallow across its face, a marquise shows more surface area per carat than almost any other cut. A 1ct marquise typically reads noticeably larger on the hand than a 1ct round.

Is a marquise ring bad luck if it points a certain way?

No. Some people prefer the points aimed towards the fingertips because it lengthens the finger visually, and some prefer east-west. It is entirely a matter of taste.

Can a marquise diamond be reset without damaging it?

In almost every case, yes. A good setter removes the stone carefully, and the risk is small. The exception is a stone that already has chips or feathers reaching the surface near the points — tell your jeweller if you know of any, and ask them to inspect it under magnification first.

How much does resetting a marquise cost?

It depends entirely on the new mount: the metal, its weight, and how many accent stones it carries. There is no meaningful average, and anyone quoting one without seeing your stone is guessing. We quote on the actual design, and the design work itself is free.

What is a Dutch marquise?

It is a marquise outline cut with straight step facets instead of brilliant faceting, giving a calmer, more graphic look. It is a good middle ground if you like the shape but find full-brilliant marquises too flashy. Our Solitaire Dutch Marquise Cut Engagement Ring is an example.

Where to go from here

Have a look at the full marquise cut collection, or browse all engagement rings to see how the shape sits alongside the alternatives. Every piece is hand-made in solid gold or platinum in our North Harrow workshop, with free insured UK delivery and 30-day returns.