What is a Heart Diamond?
As the name suggests, a heart shaped diamond is a distinctive cut in the shape of a heart. The heart diamond features faceting based on the round brilliant cut, meaning beautiful fire and sparkle. Heart diamonds date back to the 16th century. Originally given as a gift of friendship between two queens, the modern heart cut is an unmistakable token of passion.
How Many Facets does a Heart Diamond have?
A heart diamond has 58 facets, in a brilliant cut style.
What Makes a Heart Diamond Special?
Immediately evocative of adoration and romance, the heart diamond is a beautiful symbol of love. Its exquisite shape is not the only thing setting the heart cut apart. The modern heart diamond features facets similar to a round brilliant cut, meaning heart diamonds share the reputation for sparkle and life. A heart shape diamond is one of the more unusual cuts, chosen less frequently than rounds or other fancy cuts. You can expect to start conversations and elicit compliments with a heart diamond on your finger!
How do you Know if a Heart Diamond is Well Cut?
Of the four Cs, diamond cut is one of the most important. But as a fancy shape, heart diamonds are not graded for cut in the same way as a round brilliant cut.
It’s left to diamond experts to determine what makes a heart diamond beautiful, based on a balance of factors; the symmetry of the facets, the quality of the polishing, and the balance of size and depth.
First we consider the visual impact of the stone - how does the fire, brightness, and scintillation appear? Second, the design - how well proportioned is the diamond? Finally, we look at the craftsmanship - how skillfully has the diamond been cut and polished? While heart diamonds are not given a formal cut grading, there are some suggested parameters to consider for a well-cut stone, including;
Length to width ratio: the length to width ratio of a diamond measures how proportional it is. Diamonds which fall within these parameters will be most pleasing to the eye, with a more distinct and even shape. The ideal length to width ratio of a heart diamond is 1.00, but personal preference can dictate whether you choose a narrower or wider stone. Look for a heart with a ration between 0.90 - 1.10.
Table: the table is the largest, central facet of a stone. The table needs to be large enough to let lots of light into the diamond, but not so large that the upper facets don’t have room to sparkle. Look for a heart diamond with a table ratio between 50 - 60%
Depth: a diamond’s depth is the top-to-bottom measurement of a diamond, from its table to culet. The depth ratio compares this measurement with the overall width of the stone. The depth affects the visual balance of a diamond and its brilliance. If a stone is too shallow or deep the light will not refract properly, escaping through the base of the diamond instead of the top. Look for a heart diamond with a depth ratio between 58 - 68%.
Choosing a Diamond Cut Grade
The choice between a narrower or wider heart shape comes down to taste and choice. Whichever stone you choose, ensure that the cleft (where the curves meet in the middle) is precise and sharp.
Symmetry is vital for a heart shape, so ensure the wings (the curves) are even and identical. Our heart diamonds are hand-selected for their quality and beauty, so you can be confident your Harper Tait heart shape diamond will delight. To really see a distinct heart shape you will need to choose a stone of at least 0.50ct. Heading into 1.00ct and over the shape is even more defined - the perfect excuse to go a little larger!
Choosing a Heart Diamond Colour
Like so much about choosing a diamond, colour grade comes down to personal preference. Colour is graded by letters, with the scale starting at D. A colourless diamond grade is anything from grades D to F.
Most diamond lovers prefer the cool, white hue of a ‘colourless’ diamond, which is why these shades are so highly prized. For grades G and below the diamond colour gets progressively warmer, beginning to draw tones of yellow or brown. Some customers like these warmer shades, or find they can’t easily tell the difference in a yellow or rose gold ring.
If you have chosen a platinum or white gold setting, the difference between the white metal and a warmer colour stone will be more obvious, so we advise going no lower than a grade F.
Choosing the Clarity of a Heart Diamond
Diamond clarity varies greatly, from perfectly clean stones to those with easily visible inclusions. Truly flawless diamonds are incredibly rare. Thanks to the dizzying sparkle of a heart diamond, small inclusions are not as visible to the naked eye. It means you can choose a slightly included grade and still enjoy an eye-clean diamond. Which is to say, you will not notice any flaws without magnification.
We advise a grade between SI1 and VS2 for brilliant cut stones under 3.00ct. At these grades you will not notice any inclusions - only incredible sparkle! For very large stones, a higher clarity may be advised. Please contact us and we can talk through your options.
Is a Heart Cut the Diamond for You?
You’ve found your forever love, and are proud to share it with the world. This moment of celebration calls for the most romantic stone of all. If you embrace sweet and graceful style, a heart diamond is always charming - even in larger sizes. And if you love jewellery that is just a little bit different, a heart shape diamond is an ideal choice. With a heart diamond on your finger you are bound to attract admiring glances, so be prepared to tell your engagement story just one more time…
