Nothing says love quite like a heart, which is perhaps why this “fancy” cut experiencing such a resurgence in popularity. The heart shaped diamond are beautiful to behold, and take quite a bit of skill to cut, which makes even more valuable. Below we’ve outlined some of the key factors to keep in mind when purchasing your new diamond:
Weight and Shape of a Heart Cut Diamond
It is recommended that a heart shape diamond weigh above .5 carats. This is due to the fact that it is difficult to see details of the cleft and points. The cleft needs to be sharp and distinct and the wings of the diamond need to have a slight round shape. If a heart shaped diamond is smaller, a bezel or a 3 prong setting is suggested to showcase the unique diamond shape. Ideally the length to width ratio should be 1 to 1-1.10 (not more than 10% wider or longer than its other side). The length to width ratio is extremely important with this shape because it determines how the stone will appear when viewed from above. Simple settings are best to accentuate a heart shaped diamond’s unique qualities. If you really want the heart shape to pop getting a custom halo setting made can do the trick.
Diamond Cutting Skill
Heart shaped diamonds are one of the most difficult cuts to create and requires a talented diamond cutter. It is very important that a heart shaped diamond is cut with extreme skill. Both round ends of the heart need to match wholly and the cleft should be a sharp, well-defined divide. Also make sure you get a visual inspection by a Gemologist of the stone before purchasing since the heart cut is prone to the “bow-tie” effect (also true with marquise, oval and pear cuts). Since every heart shape looks a bit different, get an image of the diamond before you purchase.
Color and Clarity
The clarity of a heart shaped diamond can go lower because the facets hide inclusions well. Purchasing a heart shaped stone that is SI1-SI2 (Slighty Included) can certainly make your dollar stretch. In terms of color, going with a near-colorless diamond (G-I in color) can also give you the most bang for your buck.
While beautiful, heart shaped diamonds require specific weight and shape along with extreme diamond cutting skill. The color and clarity options of a heart shaped diamond can save you money on your stone.
A Diamond Expert can put together a custom search of Heart cut diamonds for you: https://www.brilliance.com/diamond-search/custom
