The marquise family — true marquise, Dutch Marquise, Moval — all share an elongated outline with pointed or softly pointed tips. This geometry is more flattering on a finger than most other shapes. It is also more vulnerable to specific cutting flaws that don't apply to rounds or cushions.
The single most important quality marker for a marquise-style stone is the absence of a bow-tie. The bow-tie is a horizontal shadow band that runs across the middle of the stone, visible under direct light. It is caused by depth proportions being too shallow or too deep — light enters the stone and exits through the bottom rather than reflecting back through the table. Almost all marquise stones have some degree of bow-tie. A barely visible one is acceptable; a strong one is a deal-breaker. The certificate does not flag bow-ties. Only your eye, in person, under direct light, does.
Symmetry is what tells you the cutter has done their work.
The second marker is point symmetry. The two pointed ends of the stone must align on a perfect centre axis. If they don't, the stone reads as crooked even when the cut is otherwise fine. This is harder to see than the bow-tie but easier to detect once you know to look for it: lay the stone flat, sight down its length, and the two points should disappear behind each other.
The third marker is the length-to-width ratio. For a true marquise, 1.8–2.1 is the typical range; for a Moval, 1.4–1.6; for a Dutch Marquise, around 1.9. Outside these ranges, the cut starts to look like a different shape entirely. Ask for the measured length and width on the certificate and calculate the ratio yourself.
The fourth marker is the prong setting. Marquise tips are the most fragile points on the stone — they can chip if struck. Insist on V-prong settings that wrap fully around each tip. Standard four-prong settings expose the tips and lose you the stone over time.
Finally: marquise-style cuts cost less per carat than equivalent rounds, because they retain more of the rough crystal during cutting. Use this to upgrade clarity rather than carat. A flawless 1.5-carat marquise will outperform an included 2-carat one almost universally, and the price will be comparable.