Bowtie is defined as?

• A. A dark area across the center of an elongated brilliant cut.
• B. A bright reflection on the table
• C. A type of girdle notch
• D. A symmetrical alignment of facets

Answer: (A)

Bowtie describes a dark, cross-shaped shadow that can run across the center of an elongated diamond when viewed face up. It happens because light isn’t reflected evenly by the pavilion facets due to how the cut’s proportions and facet angles interact, so opposite halves don’t bounce light back to your eye as a uniform band. It’s most noticeable in elongated cuts such as marquise or pear shapes, and it’s a light-return issue rather than a physical mark on the girdle or a bright table reflection. So the correct description is the dark area across the center of an elongated cut.