Setting and Caring for an Oval Stone

Protecting the pointed ends, choosing a setting, and cleaning an oval without loosening the claws.

An oval has two pointed ends, and those tips are the thinnest part of the outline. The girdle description on the report — thin, medium, very thick — tells you how much material sits there. Thin to medium is preferred; an extremely thin girdle raises the risk of chipping at the pointed ends.

The setting choice follows directly from that. The tips need claws that sit over them rather than beside them, because a claw placed alongside a tip protects nothing if the stone is knocked sideways. V-tip and six-claw arrangements that cover both points are the standard way to shield an extremely thin girdle.

A larger table also means inclusions are easier to see face-up, so check clarity with the stone mounted as well as loose. The setting should not press on the girdle at the tips; uneven claw pressure is a common way to loosen a stone over time.

Cleaning an oval without loosening the claws means avoiding mechanical ultrasonic action if the girdle is extremely thin, since vibration can work a thin tip loose. Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush along the girdle line clean the stone without stressing the claws.

Inspect the claws at the pointed ends periodically. A claw that has worn or lifted at a tip is the earliest sign of trouble, and catching it early is cheaper than resetting a chipped stone.

The girdle check and the setting decision are one decision made twice: once at purchase, when you read the report, and once at mount, when you choose how the tips are held.

• Preferred girdle: thin to medium at both pointed ends
• Extremely thin girdle: chipping risk — choose a setting that covers the tips
• Claws should sit over the points, not beside them
• Avoid ultrasonic cleaning if the girdle is extremely thin
• Inspect the tip claws periodically for wear or lifting

Further reading

• Oval Ratio and the Bow-Tie Effect
• Why Fancy Shapes Look Larger per Carat