2 Carat Marquise Diamonds

A two carat marquise measures around 14 by 7 mm. Nothing else in this weight covers as much finger, and the shape carries an unmistakably vintage register — it reads as inherited rather than bought, which is precisely why people choose it.

At this size the tips are the whole engineering problem. Two carats of diamond ending in two thin points needs V-prongs, and it needs a jeweller who sets them properly; a bare marquise tip is the most chip-prone geometry in diamonds. Ask about the setting before you fall in love with the stone.

Grade priorities: symmetry first, because asymmetry scales with size and becomes glaring at two carats. Then clarity around VS2, with attention to where the inclusions sit — anything within a millimetre of a point is a structural concern as much as a visual one. Colour can relax to H or I; the shallow spread of a marquise keeps warmth from pooling.