Marquise Diamonds in South Africa (2026 Buyer Guide)

What makes the marquise distinctive

The marquise, also called the navette, is a brilliant cut shaped like an elongated boat or eye with a point at each end. It is a regal, vintage, dramatic shape, named for an 18th-century French royal commission, and it shares the 56 to 58 facet brilliant pattern of the round and the oval. In 2026 SA it is a comparatively rare engagement choice, which is precisely why it stands out on the hand and why it carries a discount.

One property defines the marquise above all others: it spreads more face-up area per carat than any other shape. A 1.00 carat marquise reads visually like a 1.20 to 1.30 carat round, and the long pointed silhouette elongates and slims the finger more than any oval or pear. Buyers who want the maximum visible diamond per Rand, and a shape almost nobody else in the room will be wearing, are the natural audience for it.

The trade-off is that the same elongation that creates the spread also tends to create a bow-tie effect across the centre, a darker zone where light fails to reflect from the pavilion. As with the oval, bow-tie severity varies enormously from stone to stone and is not captured in any GIA grade. As Prodiam, a Bedfordview cutting house, notes, this is a judgement made on the bench rather than from a certificate; reputable wholesalers pre-screen marquise inventory for bow-tie severity, where cheap online suppliers often do not.

Marquise pricing in 2026 South Africa

On SA wholesale, a 1.00 carat GIA G/VS1 marquise (Excellent polish, Excellent symmetry) typically runs R55,000 to R74,000, against R75,000 to R95,000 on the equivalent round, and SA retail (Shimansky, Browns) typically runs R82,000 to R118,000. At 1.50 carat, SA wholesale runs R115,000 to R158,000 on G/VS1. At 2.00 carat, SA wholesale runs R235,000 to R320,000.

The 20 to 30 per cent discount versus an equivalent round is driven mainly by lower current demand for the shape rather than by any defect in the stone. For a buyer who actively wants a marquise, that soft demand is the opportunity: you are paying less per carat for the shape with the most spread. Use the diamond size calculator to compare the true millimetre footprint of a marquise against a round of the same weight before you decide.

Premium colour grades (D, E, F) at marquise are scarcer in SA inventory than in round, because the round brilliant is the dominant shape. G to H in the VS range is the value sweet spot, and on a setting in white gold or platinum it reads near-colourless to the eye. See the diamond clarity and colour chart for where each grade sits.

What to insist on in a marquise

View the bow-tie in person or via high-quality video before committing. Reputable wholesalers will share a video on request. A subtle bow-tie is acceptable and barely noticeable; a pronounced one creates a clear dark stripe across the centre regardless of carat, colour or clarity grades, so decline it and ask to see another.

Symmetry matters more on a marquise than on almost any shape. The two halves must mirror each other, the two points must line up on a single axis, and the wings (the curved sides) must match: uneven points or lopsided wings are immediately visible on the finger. GIA does not award an overall Cut grade on a marquise, so insist on Excellent polish and Excellent symmetry, the closest proxies, and aim for a length-to-width ratio of 1.85 to 2.10, with around 2.00 the classic silhouette. Below that the stone looks stubby; above it, too thin and more fragile.

Verify the GIA report number on GIA Report Check before paying. Standard step on any GIA-certified centre stone.

Settings: protect the points

The single most important setting rule for a marquise is that both pointed ends must be protected by V-prongs. The points are the most vulnerable part of the stone and can chip if left exposed; a V-prong cradles each tip and shields it from knocks. A reputable workshop builds a marquise with V-prongs as standard, but confirm it before you commission the ring.

Beyond that, the marquise sets well as a solitaire, often with two small side accents that echo the long silhouette; in a halo, where a ring of accent diamonds adds spread and sparkle; and increasingly in an east-west orientation, with the long axis running across the finger rather than along it. East-west is a current 2026 trend that suits the dramatic shape and wears especially well on slimmer fingers. The pairing of marquise centre and a slim band remains a popular vintage-leaning engagement ring choice.

A wholesale-margin workshop builds a marquise setting in 3 to 4 weeks. A solitaire with V-prongs and modest side accents in 18kt white gold typically runs R16,000 to R26,000 at wholesale, versus R28,000 to R48,000 at SA retail.

Where to buy a marquise in SA in 2026

For a GIA-certified marquise on wholesale margin, our top value pick is Prodiam in Bedfordview, a wholesale-to-public cutting house that polishes to GIA Excellent specifications, pre-screens its marquise inventory for bow-tie severity and point symmetry, and builds settings with V-prongs to order. You can browse Prodiam's certified loose-diamond inventory for current marquise stock in the 1.00 to 2.00 carat range.

Cape Diamonds carries marquise stones at the V&A Waterfront for buyers who prefer Cape Town local handling and an in-person showroom. Pricing typically runs 15 to 25 per cent above wholesale.

Premium retailers such as Shimansky and Browns offer marquise diamonds at retail-tier pricing, usually with bespoke setting design as the main value-add. The stone itself runs 30 to 40 per cent above wholesale on like-for-like grades. Whichever route you take, the marquise rewards a buyer who inspects the bow-tie and the symmetry first and lets the certificate confirm the rest.

Guidance and sources

Frequently Asked Questions