What Causes The Bow Tie Effect In Oval Diamonds?

Some of you might be familiar with the bow tie effect when it comes to round diamonds, but what is a bow tie effect in oval diamonds?

The long and short of it is that there may be an “X” shape on one side of the diamond, where light has been reflecting off the facet and bouncing back into your eye.

This can make for a distracting glare or halo around the stone, which can take away from its beauty. In this blog post, we will discuss different causes of bow tie effects in oval diamonds as well as how to avoid them!

What is the Bow Tie Effect in Oval Diamonds?

As explained earlier, the bow tie effect is when a small X shape appears on one side of the diamond. The long and short of it is that there may be an “X” shape on one side of the diamond, where light has been reflecting off the facet and bouncing back into your eye. 

This can make for a distracting glare or halo around the stone, which can take away from its beauty.

What Causes The Bow Tie Effect in Oval Diamonds? 

There are many possible causes of the bow tie effect and they depend on what type of cut you’re looking at: A deep culet may cause light to reflect off it back into your eye.

This is more common with round stones than ovals because the culet will be positioned inside the diamond rather than outside.

The angle of incidence might not match up well with where light enters (especially if there’s a shorter table length), causing light to bounce back into your eye instead of going through the top crown area that was intended.

If an oval lacks brilliance due to a table that’s too shallow or if the crown is too flat, the light might reflect off the bottom of an oval instead.

Some of the common causes of the bow tie effect in oval diamonds are:

• A chip or fracture on one side of the diamond is causing light to scatter off the surface (typically seen when viewed up close). 
• An irregular cut that leaves a small flat spot reflecting into your eye. 
• Poor clarity due to too many tiny flaws and fractures inside the diamond. The more imperfections there are, the greater chance for reflection.

The bow tie effect may also be caused by a lengthier pavilion (the back part) and a shorter crown (top). This can happen with ovals because there are more options for length-to-height ratios.

It could also have something to do with how much chipping affects your diamond: If you’re looking at someone else’s ring in person, it can be hard to tell what kind of cut their stone has just from inspecting it up close.

The same goes for examining diamonds online; they don’t always show all sides equally well.

A deep culet may cause light to reflect off it back into the pavilion, which could be where the bow tie effect is coming from.

The bottom of an oval diamond can go much deeper than in a round shape and light can reflect off the top that way.

It isn’t uncommon for someone shopping online to see a picture with some glare on both sides due to being photographed by indirect light or flash photography, as opposed to ring-lighting like you would have at most stores.

How Do You Know If Your Diamond Has a Bow Tie Effect?

You can do this by analyzing the diamond’s profile shape and color to see if there is a bow tie effect.

Diamonds with darker colors are more likely to have this problem because they absorb light, but white diamonds can still exhibit it as well.

If the diamond has a bow tie effect, it will be noticeable when you’re looking head-on at the stone. But if you’re looking at the stone from an angle, it will be less noticeable.

How to Avoid Buying a Diamond with a Bow tie Effect? 

Buy from reputable dealers. If you’re buying online, research the company and its reviews before making your purchase for the best results. 

Always look at diamonds in person so that you can see exactly what you are getting when finalizing a purchase.

You’ll also get an idea of how it will look on your hand or jewelry piece by seeing where the stone would be situated concerning other surrounding stones.

If you buy off the internet, ask if they offer inspection services in case there is any damage done after arriving home. You want to be sure that what you are getting will be in great condition, and if something happens on the way, you should know how it can get sorted appropriately.

Ask about diamond grading certificates as this helps ensure quality levels and authenticity against sellers misrepresenting their product due to a lack of any certificates.

Ask about the diamond’s cut, color, and clarity when you are shopping to ensure that it is what you want in a stone. 

Inspect all diamonds carefully to see if there are any cracks or chips as well as inspecting their size and shape before making your purchase.

Be aware of using low-quality settings such as prongs or posts which will not hold up under daily wear as gold does.

Consider how much money you have set aside to choose an appropriate setting for the stone so that it can be protected properly from rough rocks, chemicals, and other factors.

If buying on credit offers a substantial down payment then take out a long-term loan instead of opting for monthly payments.

Look at the diamond’s shape often and ask for an appraisal to be done every two years or so. 

Keeping your stone protected is one of the best ways you can help prolong its life, as well as make it more valuable to resell later on (if that’s what you’ll want).

Be sure that the jeweler has a return policy if you are not happy with what they offer.

If possible buy from stores that have guarantees then look up reviews before making any purchase decisions.

Why Does The Bow Tie Effect Occur In Some Diamonds?

The bow tie effect occurs in different diamond shapes and is not always related to the cut, clarity, or color of a stone.

The bow tie shape can sometimes be seen with off-axis light sources because they create shadows that make it appear like there are two reflections on opposite sides of the gemstone. 

The reason some diamonds will have a more pronounced bow tie effect is that they are cut very shallowly, which will cause light to hit the diamond at a sharper angle and reflect off more faces.

Do All Oval Diamonds Have a Bow Tie Effect?

The bow tie effect can happen with any diamond and is not always as noticeable.

The bow tie shape will be more pronounced in oval diamonds that are cut shallow, which creates a sharper angle of light hitting the gemstone at different angles.

Any type of oval diamond has the potential to have this reflective phenomenon occur on its surface. 

The bow tie effect is only one of many possible optical phenomena that can occur on the surface or interior of a diamond.

Diamonds with this feature are often cut to increase their appearance, as they have an extraordinary light reflection quality and can be quite beautiful inclusions for gemstones.

However, there may also be negative connotations associated with having such features because some people believe it will reduce the stone’s clarity grade.

What To Look For When Buying An Oval Diamond Ring

When deciding on an oval diamond ring, you should make sure that it has a deep cut and is reflective.

The deeper the cut, the more light will be reflected into your eye when looking at the stone from different angles. This makes for much better brilliance than a shallow-cut gemstone or one with heavy faceting which reflects less light to your eyes.

Make sure that all facets are polished cleanly and evenly; this will give off more sparkle in the sunlight as well!

Wrapping Up

In conclusion, it is important to make sure that when you are looking for an oval diamond ring that has been cut with a deep bow tie and polished evenly.

This will help reduce the stone’s clarity grade due to how light travels through different facets of the gemstone. It is also essential to make sure all-natural defects have been removed.

Understanding the bow tie effect in oval diamonds will help you make a more informed decision about your purchase.

The shape of an oval diamond is what causes this unique phenomenon, and it may be something that impacts your buying process.

If you want to avoid any potential surprises or disappointments during the engagement ring purchasing process, understanding how these shapes differ from one another can be helpful before you buy.

Remember, it’s money you are using to purchase a ring of your choice, hence, it would be best to ensure you are getting the best value out of your purchase.