Teardrop engagement rings, also known as pear-shaped engagement rings, combine the brilliance of a round diamond with the elongation of a marquise diamond, creating a flattering and versatile design. When buying a teardrop engagement ring, it’s crucial to pay attention to the diamond’s symmetry, which includes its “head,” “point,” “shoulders,” and “wings.” The faceting is generally similar to that of a round brilliant diamond, designed to maximize brilliance.
When it comes to metal options, you have a variety to choose from, including platinum, yellow gold, white gold, and rose gold. Each metal brings its own aesthetic to the ring, so choose based on your personal style and the jewelry you already own. Budget-wise, teardrop engagement rings can vary significantly in price, depending on the quality of the diamond and the intricacy of the setting. However, you can expect to spend anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 or more for a high-quality teardrop engagement ring.
What is a teardrop engagement ring?
An engagement ring with a teardrop diamond is both brilliant and unique. The name comes from the shape which resembles a pear or teardrop, large and round on one end and tapered to a point on the other. It’s like a round diamond and a marquise diamond got married.
The names teardrop, pear cut and pear shaped are interchangeable in the jewelry world.
Teardrop Diamond Rings: Price and Value
Prices of pear shaped diamond rings vary. If shopping online, which we highly recommend, you buy a setting and the stone separately. A setting for a pear shape diamond engagement ring can cost anywhere between $500 USD and $4,000 USD or more.
You can buy a high-quality 1 carat, teardrop diamond to accompany the setting for $4,000 to $6,000 USD, such as this 1.01ct H color, VVS1 clarity teardrop diamond from James Allen for $4,650. For comparison, a round-cut diamond of the same quality will cost between $5,000 and $7,000 USD. here is an example of a 1.00ct H color, VS1 clarity round cut diamond from James Allen for $6,110. Pear shape diamonds can be a great deal.
Teardrop Engagement Rings: Popular Metals and Settings
Some settings suit teardrop diamonds more than others. You want to optimize the brilliance of the stone, but you also want to protect your diamond. Especially vulnerable is the tapered tip of the diamond which can chip and snag easily.
Some of the best styles for teardrop engagement rings are prong settings, bezel settings, halo settings.
The best metals for an engagement ring are white gold, yellow gold, or rose gold of 14K or 18K. Because of gold’s softness as a mineral, it’s combined with other metals to be strong enough for jewelry. The 14K and 18K amount of gold mixture (alloy) is a perfect balance. Not only is the metal strong enough for everyday wear, there is also enough gold for the beautiful sheen we associate with the metal.
Tear Drop Engagement Rings: Pros and Cons
As with all pieces of beauty, there are pros and cons to teardrop diamond rings. We’ve compiled the pros and cons of pear shape diamond engagement rings as a quick reference.
Pros:
- Appear larger than round diamonds, even with the same carat weight
- Cost less per carat
- Unique style points
Cons:
- Higher potential for damage due to vulnerable tip
- Harder to find a well-cut stone
- Pear shape amplifies the color so you need a better color grade for diamond to appear true white
Teardrop Diamond Rings: Things to Consider & Where to Buy
As we mentioned, finding a quality teardrop diamond can be trickier than a stunning round. The beauty in the reward can be worth the effort. We want to give you the scoop on the best places to find high-quality and reasonable prices.
Things to consider when buying teardrop engagement rings:
All purchases demand some knowledge about the 4 C’s of diamonds: clarity, cut, carat, and color.
Diamond clarity refers to how clear of blemishes (inclusions) the diamond is. Our number one piece of advice about clarity is to use the “eye clean” method. Trust your eyes on this characteristic.
Diamond cut is the most important characteristic to spend your money on.
Well-cut teardrop diamonds are a rare find. Consider the following when looking at the diamond’s cut:
- Length to width ratio is how you can determine if your teardrop diamond hits the sweet spot, not too long and not too short. The most popular ratio for pear shape diamonds is a length to width ratio of about 1.55 to 1.75. Your style preference is most important.
- Symmetry is important for the pear shaped diamond. To check the symmetry on the diamond, draw an imaginary line down the length of the stone and compare the two halves. The two halves should mirror one another to create a symmetrical look.
- Bowtie effect– avoid it as much as possible! Bowties sound pretty harmless and even cute, but not when involved with a teardrop diamond. When cut properly, the diamond should reflect light back out of itself creating that sparkle we love. But when cut improperly, bowtie-looking shadows appear.
Carat refers to how much your diamond weighs. A pear shaped diamond will appear larger than a round cut diamond with the same carat weight. Most popular are teardrop diamond engagement rings with a center-stone between 0.50ct and 2ct. You can also go bigger and get, for instance, a 4 Carat Diamond if that’s what you like.
Color refers to how purely white the diamand is. You’ll want to choose your color grade based on the setting metal you choose. If you’re setting your teardrop diamond in white gold or platinum, choose an H color or better. The white metal will show any yellow hues more strongly in contrast. If you’re setting your diamond in yellow gold or rose gold, you can save money and drop down to a I or J/K color.
There is a lot to consider when choosing a diamond, especially a teardrop shaped diamond. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us and we can walk you through the process. We want to make sure you find the perfect diamond for the perfect engagement ring.
Where to buy teardrop engagement rings:
There are hundreds of vendors selling teardrop engagement rings. After decades in the diamond business, we’ve narrowed down the best places to buy an engagement ring, no matter the shape of the diamond. The reason we love these companies? High-quality product combined with the best available prices.
- Blue Nile– We agree they’re the “smarter way to buy a diamond.” Blue Nile has great craftsmanship and fantastic customer service.
- James Allen– With their superior artistry and snazzy packaging, James Allen is a winner with hearts and pocketbooks alike.
Our Favorite Teardrop Engagement Rings
With an ocean of options out there, we want to give you a place to jump off. The following styles are classy, fashionable, and sure to please.
Petite Solitaire Engagement Ring
As classy as Audrey Hepburn, this solitaire setting in rose gold is a timeless ring piece.
Pear Shaped Diamond Pavé Halo And Shank Diamond Engagement Ring
The extra sparkle provided by the diamonds on the halo and shank make this halo ring setting a real stunner.
Petite Twist Diamond Engagement Ring
The delicate twist of pavé-set diamonds gives this ring from Blue Nile a chic design with a unique spin. You can accompany this ring with a matching wedding band.
Teardrop Diamond Pavé Trio Engagement Ring
The side-stone trio diamonds and the pear shpaed diamond give this ring from James Allen true feminie appeal.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are teardrop rings supposed to be worn?
You can wear a teardrop diamond ring whichever way you’d like. Whether the tapered end faces up or down is strictly based on preference. The most common way though is to wear the point out.
Which direction should a teardrop diamond face?
A teardrop diamond should face whichever way you prefer. For the sentimental, place the tapered end of the diamond pointing towards your heart.
Are pear shaped rings more expensive?
Pear shaped diamond rings are less expensive than round cut diamond rings. The pear shape conceals inclusions well and the jeweler is able to use more of the rough cut diamond. There is a lot of great information comparing the price of diamonds to their shapes.
What makes a pear cut diamond of high quality?
A high-quality pear cut diamond has a minimal “bow-tie” effect, is symmetrical, has no visible inclusions, and has an H color or higher.
What metals work best for pear cut engagement rings?
The best type of metal for a pear shaped engagement ring is 14K or 18K yellow gold, white gold, or rose gold.
Conclusion
Teardrop diamonds make a great choice for an engagement ring. The unique shape and lower cost are great attributes to the stone. While finding a quality pear shaped diamond may be more effort, it’s certainly rewarded well.
We just threw a lot of information at you. Shopping for an engagement ring is supposed to be a fun, enjoyable experience. If it feels too daunting, don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our diamond experts. They eat, breath and drink diamonds all day and would be happy to help you find the perfect engagement ring.
What we love about them:
- No questions asked returns within 30 days of shipment. James Allen will send you a paid shipping label to return the ring.
- Lifetime Warranty
- Free International Shipping
- Free prong tightening, repolishing, rhodium plating and cleaning every 6 months
- Provide insurance appraisals
- One free resizing within 60 days of purchase
- Free ring inscriptions
- Best-in-class high quality imagery of all diamonds in stock
- 24/7 Customer Service
- Best-in-class packaging
What we love about them:
- No questions asked returns within 30 days of shipment. Blue Nile will send you a paid shipping label to return the ring.
- Lifetime Warranty
- Free Shipping
- Free prong tightening, repolishing, rhodium plating and cleaning every 6 months
- Provide insurance appraisal
- One free resizing within the first year of purchase
- High quality images of about half of their diamonds
- 24/7 Customer Service
- 100% credit towards future upgrades (must be at least double in value)
- Best in class fulfillment
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