As a universal and timeless symbol of romance and love, the meaning behind a heart shaped diamond is crystal clear, making it a special alternative to more common diamond cuts. This shape can be used for an engagement ring, as well as for other special pieces of jewelry including necklaces and earrings.
What is a Heart Shaped Diamond?
A heart shaped diamond is considered a modified brilliant, a variation of the brilliant round cut and includes anywhere from 56 to 58 facets. Perfected in round diamonds, this brilliant cut is known for its brilliance and sparkle, and is now modified and applied to many shapes including marquise, oval, cushion, heart and pear. The heart shape requires incredible precision to achieve a proper cut, so only the most skilled diamond cutters tend to successfully produce this shape.
This diamond shape is a
ll about symmetry. The curved halves of the heart should match perfectly and the V-shaped indentation between the two sides should be sharp and distinct. There are several aesthetic factors to consider including how the cleft, point, lobes, belly and wings affect the symmetry of this shape.
The anatomy of the heart cut consists of several different parts:
- Cleft: the inward-facing point at the top of the stone and what makes the heart shape distinct, even from the side
- Lobes: the symmetrical upper rounded areas of the heart at the top of the stone
- Belly andWings: the shape of the sides of the stone
- Point: the bottom point of the stone that divides the bottom section of your heart into two clear and distinct parts
While the point doesn’t need to be sharp, (if it’s too sharp it’ll be prone to chipping) it should divide the bottom section of the diamond into two clear, separate halves. The wings and belly should be slightly rounded but not overly bulbous; you can opt for a rounder, chubbier heart shape, or a more elongated heart silhouette. A classic heart cut diamond typically has a length-to-width ratio between 0.09 and 1.10.
Heart Shaped Diamond Engagement Rings
Although heart shaped diamonds are variants of round cut diamonds, they are usually around 15% to 20% cheaper, considering the same cut, clarity, color and carat weight. Cutting a heart shaped diamond requires a great deal of skill from a diamond cutter, and because of their complex shape, heart cut diamonds of 0.5 carats or larger tend to look best while smaller sizes may make the unique shape and detail difficult to see and appreciate.
As for settings, the heart shape lends itself well to a classic solitaire where it can stun and shine on its own. If you want to enhance the sparkle factor and provide a little more protection for your stone, consider a halo setting which surrounds your center heart with smaller diamonds. A halo can also make the center diamond appear larger especially if you have a heart cut diamond smaller than one carat. A three stone setting can also help the center stone appear larger, and if the side stones are non-heart shaped, that can help emphasize the heart shape of the center stone.
Whatever setting you choose, make sure the point of your heart is well-protected. Three and four-prong settings consist of claw-shaped bindings mounted to the ring that allow light to reach your heart stone and allow its brilliance to shine. A six-prong setting will let in less light but offers more protection. A bezel setting features a metal edging that wraps around the rim of the diamond completely and will provide the most protection but allows far less light to enter the diamond.
You can be certain that whatever diamond shape and setting you choose you’ll be admiring it for decades to come. Let us help you design the perfect ring. Give us a call at 303-385-8449 or click here to schedule an appointment!