Ring Shape Guide

Understanding the Oval Diamond Bow Tie Effect

If you are shopping for an oval engagement ring, you have likely heard the term "bow tie." This refers to a dark, shadowy area that can appear across the middle of an oval diamond, shaped roughly like a bow tie. The effect is a natural optical phenomenon, not a flaw. It happens because of how light moves through the diamond and how the facets reflect that light back to your eyes. Oval diamonds are cut with a rounded, elongated shape that has two symmetrical ends. When light