What do you prefer: chubby pear or skinny pear?

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

All else being equal (difficult to quantify, especially without pictures I know, but just for opinions): do you prefer a chubbier (~1.5:1 ratio) pear or a skinnier (~1.75:1 ratio) for a ring? The recipient in question has a US size 6 ring with short fingers. The target stone size is ~3.5-4ct. Are there any pros and cons for either “type”?

Background: I have a friend who is designing an engagement ring for his girlfriend. She gave him some direction as to what she wants (pear shape is non negotiable for example) but doesn’t want to actually see the stone or ring (most of her input has been re: the setting design rather than the stone). He has just started looking for stones and wanted some direction from me about what to look for to help him narrow a stone down.

Thank you for your opinion!

 

[missy]

I am team chubby all the way. Pleasingly plump. Chubbylicious. A delicious chubby pear makes my heart go pitter patter especially if it is an antique. Yummmm


This comes down to personal preference though. I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer. It’s what you love

 

[iluvshinythings]

I love chubby pears and marquis. I don't know anything about the optics that result from cutting them that way though.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I am team chubby all the way. Pleasingly plump. Chubbylicious. A delicious chubby pear makes my heart go pitter patter especially if it is an antique. Yummmm


This comes down to personal preference though. I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer. It’s what you love

Thank you for answering missy! I agree it’s a preference thing but since she hasn’t expressed one, and she’s been pretty explicit about wanting him to choose, I thought crowdsourcing opinions would help.

Imo, given that she has short fingers, I think a chubbier stone (which covers more horizontal space) will probably look bigger than a skinnier stone (which will cover more vertical space). I personally like that long/thin vibe of a skinny pear, but I think a chubby pear might suit her better.

I love chubby pears and marquis. I don't know anything about the optics that result from cutting them that way though.

You raise a great point - does one cut lend itself to more fire/brilliance than another? Would love if someone who knows would answer! My gut says that a deeper, chubbier stone would probably be a more sparkly stone than a shallower, skinnier stone (but I don’t know if I’m conflating the two issues). The only reason I feel like that is because I know the chubbier deeper ovals, like the Elyque, have objectively better light performance than the typical oval.

 

[dk168]

Personally, I believe it depends on her finger.

In my mind, I believe chubby ones would look better on long slender fingers and skinny ones better on chubby fingers.

However, it is difficult to advise as it is all down to personal preferences.

I am not a fan of pears for rings - the mis-matched pair of pears I posted elsewhere are the exceptions, and they will be set together in a by-pass design.

DK

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

As an update on the results: chubby pears are winning handily, with 100% of the vote so far! (9 votes total)

 

[JV36912]

another vote for chubby pears! They are just so dreamy

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Personally, I believe it depends on her finger.

In my mind, I believe chubby ones would look better on long slender fingers and skinny ones better on chubby fingers.

However, it is difficult to advise as it is all down to personal preferences.

I am not a fan of pears for rings - the mis-matched pair of pears I posted elsewhere are the exceptions, and they will be set together in a by-pass design.

DK

Interesting, DK, as I have the opposite view on what shape looks better on what kind of finger! I always thought long skinny pears look good on long skinny fingers, while short chubby pears look good on shorter chubbier fingers. The reason being that it sort of “follows” the shape of the finger, and therefore looks bigger.

Her fingers are rather short and averagely sized (US 6 would be average, I suppose?) but look chubbier than they are because they’re short.

Imo the best would be if she went and tried on some rings but she refused because she wants the only ring on her LH, ever, to be her actual engagement ring (she literally has never worn a ring on her ring finger of her LH). She isn’t particularly fussed about the stone actually, just said it shouldn’t look yellow and shouldn’t have big black marks on it. I chose to interpret that as H-J, VS-SI1 like I mentioned in my other thread trawling for setting inspo, she is far more particular about the setting.

I like pears generally, though they wouldn’t be my preference for an e-ring, but that was the one thing she was very firm on, so that’s what we will go with! I think she wanted something more “unique” - pretty much no one in our circle has a pear ring (it’s mostly ECs and rounds here).

 

[tyty333]

One pro to chubby pears (well-cut ones), is that the rounder the chubby end is the better the chance you'll end up with
facets that look like a round brilliant. Ones like this also tend to have shorter pointy ends with fewer virtual cracked-ice facets.
(Note: I'll state the obvious...not all chubby pears are cut this way and you can find nice pears in both chubby and longer...they are
just hard to find and take a lot of searching.)

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

One pro to chubby pears (well-cut ones), is that the rounder the chubby end is the better the chance you'll end up with
facets that look like a round brilliant. Ones like this also tend to have shorter pointy ends with fewer virtual cracked-ice facets.
(Note: I'll state the obvious...not all chubby pears are cut this way and you can find nice pears in both chubby and longer...they are
just hard to find and take a lot of searching.)

That’s a great point! I would want him to get her a well-cut stone.

 

[dk168]

@AllAboardTheBlingTrain I guess it has something to do with clothes, in that larger people should avoid horizontal stripes, and tall people should avoid vertical stripes.

Personal preferences and all that.

DK

 

[lovedogs]

I love chubby pears!!!

 

[emmy12]

I must be weird because I think a 1.5:1 ratio is a good looking, proportional pear! Chubby to me is getting into the 1.3 range and below.

Either way I love those two "chubby" options more than skinny pears. Skinny pears always have looked like off-cut stones to my eyes.

Image via DiamDB using 10mm length and varying the width to give different ratios. Size 6 finger, shortest length (55mm)

 

[lala646]

I like my pears super chubby! My brilliant cut pear pendant is 1.4:1, and my rose cut pear ring is 1.27:1.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I must be weird because I think a 1.5:1 ratio is a good looking, proportional pear! Chubby to me is getting into the 1.3 range and below.

Either way I love those two "chubby" options more than skinny pears. Skinny pears always have looked like off-cut stones to my eyes.

Image via DiamDB using 10mm length and varying the width to give different ratios. Size 6 finger, shortest length (55mm)

Looking at these, I see what you mean! 1.5 looks the most balanced to my eye too, but I read somewhere that a good pear should be between 1.5-1.75 ratio, and I took the smaller end of the scale to mean chubby and the larger end of the scale to mean skinny. Shoot!

Imo the 1.5 looks the best out of the 3 options. Thank you for doing this!

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I like my pears super chubby! My brilliant cut pear pendant is 1.4:1, and my rose cut pear ring is 1.27:1.

That ring is STUNNING also you’re in good company. 95% of votes have gone to chubby pears. We have just one person who likes skinny!

 

[jaysonsmom]

I must be weird because I think a 1.5:1 ratio is a good looking, proportional pear! Chubby to me is getting into the 1.3 range and below.

Either way I love those two "chubby" options more than skinny pears. Skinny pears always have looked like off-cut stones to my eyes.

Image via DiamDB using 10mm length and varying the width to give different ratios. Size 6 finger, shortest length (55mm)

This is exactly what I was thinking.....why choose chubby or skinny? I think the perfectly proportioned "average" would look great on any type of finger, and that would be the one I would choose.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

This is exactly what I was thinking.....why choose chubby or skinny? I think the perfectly proportioned "average" would look great on any type of finger, and that would be the one I would choose.

I guess I was defining it differently, as in, I never thought of the happy medium lol. I was always under the impression that 1.5 would be considered chubby. I never thought about the 1.3-1.4 ratio pears at all (can you tell I don’t have any pears?)!

I’m liking the look of the 1.5 ratio best after looking at this. I never thought of comparing them on diamdb!

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

On further thought, I realised I could use diamdb to do more of an apples to apples comparison. I picked 3 random 3.5ct pears from blue nile, with the ratio 1.35, 1.55 and 1.75 respectively. Their depths all differ but they all were “adequate” face up so I guess it’s fine for comparison.


To my eye, the 1.55 looks the best with her finger size (I’ve gone with 60mm finger length and size 6 - it wouldn’t let me make the finger shorter for some reason).

What do you all think? Also, interestingly, there is a 2.24mm difference length wise between the 1.35 ratio and 1.75 ratio (11.8 vs 14.04 mm), but barely a 0.57mm difference width wise between the two (8.77 vs 8.2). The face up difference between the two is 14% (but some of that is coming from the differing depths… I guess I should have controlled for that too).

 

[oldcutclubmember]

As my recent SMTB thread indicates, I LOVE LOVE chubby pears.

 

[oldcutclubmember]

On further thought, I realised I could use diamdb to do more of an apples to apples comparison. I picked 3 random 3.5ct pears from blue nile, with the ratio 1.35, 1.55 and 1.75 respectively. Their depths all differ but they all were “adequate” face up so I guess it’s fine for comparison.


To my eye, the 1.55 looks the best with her finger size (I’ve gone with 60mm finger length and size 6 - it wouldn’t let me make the finger shorter for some reason).

What do you all think?

I think for an engagement ring, 1.55 is the safest choice. Not chubby and not skinny lol

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

As my recent SMTB thread indicates, I LOVE LOVE chubby pears.

Your recent SMTB thread contains, no joke, one of the most beautiful rings on PS, bar none. I am in LOVE with it!!

I think for an engagement ring, 1.55 is the safest choice. Not chubby and not skinny lol

Also, you’re probably right. 1.55 seems balanced. I should have looked into what chubby meant before posing the question perhaps!

Though chubby is a real winner in the polls!

 

[marymm]

For a solitaire I do prefer a chubby pear, but if it were to be a toi et moi or multi-stone setting I'd likely go with a skinny pear

 

[emmy12]

On further thought, I realised I could use diamdb to do more of an apples to apples comparison. I picked 3 random 3.5ct pears from blue nile, with the ratio 1.35, 1.55 and 1.75 respectively. Their depths all differ but they all were “adequate” face up so I guess it’s fine for comparison.


To my eye, the 1.55 looks the best with her finger size (I’ve gone with 60mm finger length and size 6 - it wouldn’t let me make the finger shorter for some reason).

What do you all think? Also, interestingly, there is a 2.24mm difference length wise between the 1.35 ratio and 1.75 ratio (11.8 vs 14.04 mm), but barely a 0.57mm difference width wise between the two (8.77 vs 8.2). The face up difference between the two is 14% (but some of that is coming from the differing depths… I guess I should have controlled for that too).

Love that 1.55 option! Middle of the road perfect proportions FTW!

 

[Kim N]

I voted chubby, but I most prefer the 1.55 ratio!

 

[Karl_K]

1.5 is the middle, and for a ring I like 1.5 or chubbier.
For dangle earrings narrow long pears rock!
It comes down to personal preference.

 

[Cerulean]

My sweet spot would probably be 1.4 ratio

I like chubby for 2 reasons:

1. They are cuter / less witchy
2. Faceting tends to be less splintery

I’d focus more on cut and less on finding the perfect ratio.

Also I’d just have her try stuff on and see what she thinks is more flattering

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

Did you say 3.5 ct.s to 4 ct.s? That's huge! An elongated pear will be trying to sit on her knuckle. One that's more squat will be more comfortable to wear and have great presence on her size 6 finger.
JMO.

 

[vintageinjune]

Chunky monkey all the way! Preferably an old european cut style.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I voted chubby, but I most prefer the 1.55 ratio!

Ah, it looks like I should’ve included a third option, which was “average”! Rather silly of me but I actually thought 1.5 would be considered chubby. Thanks for weighing in! I think 1.5ish is the safest way to go.

1.5 is the middle, and for a ring I like 1.5 or chubbier.
For dangle earrings narrow long pears rock!
It comes down to personal preference.

Thank you for weighing in, Karl! In your opinion, is it easier to find a well-cut chubbier pear than a skinnier one?

My sweet spot would probably be 1.4 ratio

I like chubby for 2 reasons:

1. They are cuter / less witchy
2. Faceting tends to be less splintery

I’d focus more on cut and less on finding the perfect ratio.

Also I’d just have her try stuff on and see what she thinks is more flattering

I agree cut is super important and will be tough to find a good one, especially since online shopping is out of the question (living in india, crossing customs or even trusting the post is not feasible).

She doesn’t want to try anything on she thinks it’s romantic to be surprised, she now doesn’t want to know any more information (wish list info on the stone we have is: pear shape, nothing that looks yellow, no visible black spots). She has actually never tried on rings, I’m not sure how she settled on a pear shape. She also thinks it’s romantic if the only ring she ever wears on her LH ring finger is her engagement ring.

Did you say 3.5 ct.s to 4 ct.s? That's huge! An elongated pear will be trying to sit on her knuckle. One that's more squat will be more comfortable to wear and have great presence on her size 6 finger.
JMO.

Yup, 3.5-4! It’s going to be gorgeous, honestly, I can’t wait to see it. This particular social circle has rather big rocks (like, the smallest is around 1.5-2ct), and since she didn’t specify a size range, he thought it was safest to go with “above average but not the biggest”. I agree with that logic, bigger is better though keeping it away from the knuckle is probably the right call, so chubbier seems to be better.

Chunky monkey all the way! Preferably an old european cut style.

He isn’t a fan of the old European cutting style (I showed him a picture of an antique pear and he said the “eye” in the middle - meaning the culet- was freaking him out ) so we will go for a modern pear, also much easier to find I would suppose! But I think I will steer him to 1.55 or lower ratio!