Unlike round diamonds, fancy shapes, all shapes other than round, have no set formulas, so evaluating the make of a fancy is more subjective. Table and depth percentage can vary widely among individual stones of the same shape, each producing a beautiful stone. Personal taste also varies with regard to what constitutes the ideal for shapes other than round.

The marquise is usually cut as an adaptation of 58 facet standard brilliant, 33 crown and 25 pavilion, the same as the round brilliant. However, the pavilion can be cut with 4, 6, or 8 pavilion main facets. The crown cut is sometimes modified in the marquise to form what is called a French Tip, where the bezel facet at the point of the stone is eliminated. The length to width ratio should be in the 1.75 - 2.25 range. Marquise diamonds frequently display a bow tie, so try to to find a stone in which this is minimal or absent. The marquise has a very big surface area for the carat weight so is an excellent option if you want a big, long look for less money.

Some people prefer the marquise Shape Diamond because they make the fingers look long and slender. A Marquise Shape diamond will surely help counter act this problem and lengthen the look of your fingers.